The Academy
by LadyCeruleanBlue
Summary: I turned, and the first thing I noticed, like I did on every other man, was the handsomeness of his dark brown eyes, like melting in chocolate. Little did he know that I could read everything in those eyes, and I wanted to know it all.
1. The Beginning

**Hello, all! I hope you enjoy the small world that I created for the backstory of this, well, story! I apologize if this is in any way confusing, but the weird jargon won't be around for long, I swear! I update once a week, just so you know.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I JKR, nor do I have her brilliant mind. I also do not own Viktor Krum. *Sob!***

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**The Academy**

_**June 1, 1996**_

_Dear Diary,_

_I don't know what to do anymore. I'm alone and I'm scared. The Wizard rebellion in the States is getting worse and worse, and no matter what I do to try and help, they tell me that there's nothing I can do, especially in my condition. I want to help, but even my own _school_ is getting attacked, but I can't do anything! Twenty more Muggle-borns and half-breeds have left the school, and I've lost three more lives to those damnable traitors. There's an attack almost daily, now, and Fiendfyre never lacks. I don't know why they use it as their signature weapon, but it wreaks havoc, so I suppose that's the reason. I'm not sure what I should do anymore. The nightmares come nightly now and I can only imagine what those poor souls feel as they're trapped in the rebels' grasp. But if they touch one hair on the heads of those I love…_

_I haven't seen Viktor in at least a month, and I'm worried he won't be back in time. I know that I can't keep dwelling on that, though. As long as I know that he's alright…that's all that I need. The rebellion in Bulgaria is getting worse, too, and poor Harry over in Britain, I can only imagine!_

_This will probably be the last time I write. For a while, at least. All I know is that this war will reach its climax sooner or later, and when it does… Well, let's just say that it won't be pretty._

_First Lieutenant Leigh Anna Marie Nelson-supposed-to-be-Krum, signing out._

_**September 23, 1994**_

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for witch it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, for Liberty and Justice for all."

I ran my hands over my dress skirt before I sat down, looking happily at all of the new recruits. There were maybe fifty over all, each of them dressed in Physical Training clothes, as they hadn't gotten their uniforms yet—of course, they hadn't gotten their Branch yet, either.

The mess hall was filled to capacity, its white walls and floor shining as if they had just been washed, which I was sure that they had. The four, long, stainless steel tables had been charmed to make them more comfortable, though comfort was hardly on our minds; the food hadn't appeared yet to make us all want to eat and pull all of it on our mess kits.

Suddenly the room went silent. "Ad ease, students…which I see you've already done. I'll let you off easy, as it's the first day back," the Headmaster, General Harrington said with a stern look and a raised silver eyebrow. He was standing up at the front podium, the enchanted eagle on the front flapping its wings at a bare minimum. "Now… it is time to put these students in their correct Branches."

The new recruits were fidgeting, worrying their hands, their legs shaking. Who wouldn't, when the CG in all her stern glory walked up and gave you that look? Colonel General Marie Lingam, who taught History of Magic, was the one who had stepped up, running her hands over her skirt like I did. She pulled a name out of thin air, saying, "Aniston, Chelsea."

"And so it begins…" Michal said in front of me, leaning on his elbow rudely. Michal, with his dark good looks and reputation for getting kitchen duty made the girls like him, but getting to know him took some guts. "Look at 'em. I swear, they get shorter every year."

_Lots and lots of guts_, I thought, shaking my head.

A roar went up from the Navy as Chelsea was sorted into their Branch. _"HOOYAH!"_ The scared Seaman Recruit blushed scarlet and went to sit at the Navy's table.

"Arlington, Janette."

"Oh, we were that short back then, Michal," my best friend said from next to me, sitting up straight as I was. Her long, black hair was pulled up in a stern bun, her light blue eyes striking against her peach complexion. I had always been jealous of Alex's perfect skin—never a pimple in sight! And her figure was much thinner than mine, while I had to be in the "fat boy" program once a semester. That was such a derogatory name for a program to lose weight.

The Air Force cheered as Airman Basic Janette Arlington was put into their Branch. "_HUA!_" She walked over, tripping, and sat down to many laughs.

"Brinton, Bradley."

"No, I don't remember being under five foot."

"They're not under five foot! They just look it…or… Maybe they are just short."

I snorted. "You were _so_ short," I said to Michal with wry eyes as the Marines roared in approval, Bradley getting sorted there as a Private. "_OOHYA!"_

"Was not."

The argument was short-lived. "Look it," Alex growled, glaring pointedly at the rowdy table of the Marines. "Another _boy_ getting inducted into the damned Leathernecks!" You see, Alex had a thing about sexist organizations. And though the Marines weren't sexist, (anymore, at least,) she still hated the fact that very few women got into that Branch.

"Charles, Samuel."

"Don't let the LGLO hear you say that," I said, talking about Lieutenant General Charles McCoy, Leading Officer of the Marines. "He'll have you cleaning the latrines with a tooth brush."

"Like the last day of last year," Michal added with a smirk.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

Suddenly, Major General Leah Sampson, our Leading Officer, said, "Welcome to the Army, Private!" to Samuel Charles, and I joined in the clapping with the rest of our table, even letting out a _HOOAH!_ with everyone else.

"So," Alex said, a glint in her pretty blue eyes, "I hear that the General has something special to announce today, once everyone is inducted."

"You hear everything," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Michal took from leaning up off of his elbow to clapping for "Eagleson, Mariah." He didn't bother with the cry as the girl walked up. "Yeah. Just because your father works in D.C. doesn't mean—"

"Yeah, well, Anna, your mother works there too!" Alex cried in hurt, a look of annoyance on her face. "She just can't tell you because she's _Special Ops._"

"She's not _Special Ops_," I said, punching her shoulder playfully. _You've been watching way too many Muggle movies._ "She's an Unspeakable. She can't tell me anything, and I even mean what she eats for lunch. Hence the name."

"Don't say hence."

I smirked. "Hence."

"Jackson, Monroe."

"We're getting there," Michal sighed, playing with the mess kit in front of him. His beret was askew, his slightly-longer-than-mandatory hair was peeking out from under it.

I looked around to see if an Officer was around. "You won't be getting anywhere if an MG or LG catches you with your hair that long. McCoy wouldn't hesitate to drag you by your toes, hang you up by them, shave your head, and leave you there for the blood to rush up."

"Vicious!" Alex exclaimed, wrapping her arm around my shoulder, her Class A's sleeve pulling up over her wrist. "I like this new you! What happened over the summer to make you this way?"

I looked down at my hands in my lap, quickly feeling sorry for Michal and myself and for the way I had just acted. I hadn't told them yet, though I should have. I could barely believe it myself, as I had just seen him away at the airport yesterday. "My…my dad got sent out again."

"Oh, Leah," my best friend said softly, taking my hand into hers as Colonel Lingam said, _"Mason, Phillip." _"Where to?"

"Somewhere in Bosnia."

"Well, he's only Finance, anyways, and Muggle at that," Michal said, and Alex threw him the dirtiest look she could manage.

"Nice, Michal. Good way to make her feel better."

"Well—" he said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, "I mean, it's not like the guy's on the front line. Besides, I heard that the mission was a peace-keeping one. He's just paying people off. And since he's carrying around the millions in cash, I'm sure he has a group of Marines surrounding him at all times, the suitcase handcuffed to their wrists."

Alex then said, "At least real Marines are better than the ones here. I swear, if at least _one_ girl doesn't get in this year…"

Alright, so, let me back up and explain about our ranking systems. I'd heard about those at Hogwarts and Durmstrang and Beauxbatons and everywhere else, but ours were completely different. Whereas they had 'Houses' and 'Sectors', we had Branches of the Military. Now, the _students_ weren't _really_ in the military, but we were made to dress like our respective Branch. Our teachers, on the other hand, were the real deal. General Harrington was an actual General in the United States Army, graduate of West Point, and completely Muggle-born. Our Leading Officers were all from their respective Branches.

Tests were taken at age eleven, and by the time you were twelve, if you had passed, you were sent to the school. There, each Branch's "mascot" would chose you. They were somehow magically possessed or _something_, and they chose the perfect Branch for everyone.

For the Marines, there was a bulldog that drooled non-stop. The Navy had a goat named Bill. I had no idea why the Navy would want a goat, but that's what the Muggle Naval Academy had. With the Air Force, there was a beautiful falcon, named "The Bird" because of the Muggle Air Force Academy.

And then, for us in the Army, we had something…a little different. We were the Black Nights, and therefore had no animal counterpart. So, the first General of the Academy decided to use the Black Night's horse. A large black stallion was standing up next to MG Sampson, ready to touch its nose to the hand of each student awaiting.

Not that there were many left. Now, Colonel General Marie Lingam was on _"Young, Marissa,"_ and I knew that things were almost over.

"Congratulations, soldiers, students." There was a mixture of _HUAH, HOORAH, HUA, _and _HOOYA_ cries.

The "Headmaster" whom we called General, then stepped up to the podium. "ATTENTION!"

Everyone but the new recruits instantly stood up, standing upright with an assertive and correct posture: chin up, chest out, stomach in, arms fixed at the side, thumb or middle finger parallel to trouser or skirt seam, eyes front, head and eyes locked in a fixed forward posture, eyes unmoving and fixated on a distant object, blank facial expression. Heels together, toes apart. No speech, facial or bodily movements except when required by military drill.

The new students tried to do as the older ones, and even some of the Second years were having trouble doing it still. My sister, Jessica, in Fourth Year and in the Navy had almost perfected her stance—our father and I had tried to help her as much as possible. And my brother, three years ahead of me and a Major, (an Officer,) was way better than I was about not showing emotion.

Our ranking system was much like Hogwarts's. But instead of Prefects and Heads, we had Officers. Each year past Fifth had one Officer, though not all the time did the Officer keep his or her rank. If someone more deserving of it popped up, they were instantly "promoted" and became the "Head" of the year. A rank could easily be stripped, as well.

"It seems that we are here, for yet another year. This year, as many of you know, is the one hundredth of our beloved Academy." Again, the cries of each Branch rang out. "We are strong. We are proud. And before we eat, I have two announcements. Most of you know what the first one is—the Naming of Officers!"

_YES!_

"When your Leading Officer calls your name, Fifth Years, I want you to step up." _Only one person is picked from each Branch…oh, please, let me be picked, please, please, PLEASE! _I really hoped that I wasn't doing a little dance in place. Dancing while at attention was not conduct befitting an officer. Well, I didn't think so at least. Better not, just in case.

Lieutenant General Charles McCoy, leader of the Marines and teacher of Transfiguration, stepped up, his eyes a steely grey, like his hair. Everything on him was perfect. "Second Lieutenant Leo Langston."

A loud roar went up from the soldiers standing around the table, and a tall, bulky brunette man stood up from the Marines and strutted proudly towards the podium, to have his Sergeant insignia ripped off and instantly replaced with the single gold bar of a Second Lieutenant.

"Of course _he_ would get picked," Alex mumbled bitterly, glaring daggers at the man as he strutted back to his table. Alex, of course, had a grudge on the man for some reason that she wouldn't tell me, besides him being a Marine. Oh well. I'd get it out of her sooner or later.

Major General Brittany Premont stepped up. She was the Leading Officer for the Air Force, her light, sparkling eyes filled with laughter like most of its occupants. Almost everyone in the Air Force could tell a joke that would make you roll, and were the nicest out of everyone. "Second Lieutenant Justin Lucas."

"HUA!" The entire table burst out in intense cheering, someone yelling something that made them laugh. He went up, got his Staff Sergeant insignia ripped off and replaced with the single gold bar on his lapel.

Rear Admiral Lucas Boyle, Leading Officer of the Navy and teacher of Arithmancy, stepped up and slowly and surely called out, "Second Lieutenant Oliver Bradley."

Oliver, one of the most popular boys in the school, stood up and walked over to the podium, where his Petty Officer Second Class insignia was ripped from his suit and replaced with the single gold bar of an Ensign, and he was given his gold stripes to put on later.

Then, as Oliver was walking back, Major General Leah Sampson, my Leading Officer and teacher of Potions, stepped up, tucking in her already-perfect bun, trying to fix her already-perfect skirt. Then, looking at everyone at the table directly in the eyes, she announced, "Second Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson."

I had to control myself from giving out a giant _WOOP_! and then a _HOOAH_! But I stayed dignified as I sauntered up the steps, shaking hands with my Leading Officer, and getting my Sergeant insignia ripped off.

She pinned my Second Lieutenant pins on my lapel and whispered, _"I knew that the Knight's horse would pick you, Leigh Ann_. _Just like your mother, just like your brother._"

I blushed with pride and squeezed her hand one more time before turning on the spot and moving with dignity back to my place.

The Headmaster stood back up at the podium, his melting blue eyes meeting with each and every student before he continued. "You all know your duties. You all know that you have privileges, as well, but your rank can quickly be taken away. Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Year Officers may be quickly bunked down to E-1 if I so choose it."

"Yes, General!" came the cry from all of the students, except the newbies who came in a few seconds late. It was all quite comical, even though I knew that I had been the same way my first year.

"Now…for the second announcement of the year. There will be no Hell Week."

_No Hell Week?_ I wondered, and many people started whispering to each other the same thing as I had thought. The First Years were confused, though most looked relieved, and the Second Years were almost weeping in gratitude.

"But there is a reason that there will be no Hell Week," he said bitingly, as if he had seen into all of our lazy minds. "Because there will be an event that will go down in history here at the Academy!"

All was silent as the Headmaster drew out the silence, for a dramatic effect, but Alex next to me was getting twitchy with nerves. I was still on a high from getting Second Lieutenant and hearing that there would be no Hell Week. _I'm going to be an Officer for the next four years!_

_If you can keep it_, my brain reminded me.

Next to me, Alex nudged my side. It seemed that I had missed a large speech, for the Headmaster suddenly announced, "For the first time in two-hundred years, there will be a Tournament held. I am talking about the Triwizard Tournament, and we, the Academy, are one of the competing schools!"

Of course, most people didn't understand what the Triwizard Tournament was. But I sure did. I was so surprised and excited that my beret almost fell off. Since when did things like this happen to our school? We may have been one of the largest schools in America, but we weren't well known, nor did we accept just anyone. The mental skills, well, if they weren't hard enough, then there was physical training added in!

(If you asked me, I was just glad to be rid of Hell Week.)

"There are a few set rules to this competition between the four schools. The others will be Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts. And only students over seventeen and under twenty are allowed to go. Fifth years and up, seventh years and down, if you so wish." Even though we weren't supposed to say anything, many of the younger students moaned in disbelief, and there were angry glints in the eyes of the Eighth and Ninth Years' eyes. They were upset by the fact that none of them would be able to go. "Sign-ups will be in two weeks, and we will arrive at Hogwarts on the thirtieth of October. We will have a long way to travel. The Officers from the Eighth and Ninth years will be attending. And, before I dismiss you to dinner," the old General said, straightening his back, "I will say that _no one_ will disgrace this school. I will not tolerate tardiness, or shenanigans. If I see any physical displays of affection, you will be cleaning the latrines faster than you can say, 'I love them.'"

Beside me, Alex was blushing down to her toes. Michal and I nudged her subtly in the sides, and she looked like she was going to melt.

"The swamps are off-limit, as every year, unless it is for the Navy Seals and the Marines' training. The Lake is now full of Kelpies, so I would suggest treading cautiously until Professor Willowed takes care of it. Any misuse of wardrobe will be reprimanded." The Headmaster then went and stood behind his seat. "Ad ease, and enjoy."

Food instantly appeared in front of me, and I grabbed for the steak as I sat down on the bench. My stomach had been growling so loud during his speech that I'd wondered if anyone had heard it.

"Anna—" Alex said, grasping my arm. She gave me a look that said she was sorry and stern at the same time. "You know you have to watch what you eat."

_Especially since there's no Hell Week. _I bit my lip and switched direction, reaching for the pasta and fruit. "There's all this food and I can't eat it. I'm in my own personal hell!"

"And there's not even any Hell Week."

"I mean, I work out just as hard, maybe harder than everyone else. You—you can eat whatever you want and get away with it! I don't think you've gained any weight at all since I last saw you." She looked apologetic, but I knew that she was on some strict diet from her parents. I'd tried it, obviously, but it hadn't worked.

Not that _I_ thought that I was overweight. No, I liked my body the way it was. To the school, I was fat, plain and simple. But to myself, I was curvy, and I liked that fact.

Alex looked apologetic, then looked guilty as she looked down at the beef on her plate. She quickly put it away and grabbed shrimp.

Michal, on the other hand, didn't bother with hiding his food from me. He piled the potatoes, pasta, steak, and sweets onto his plate and dug in. "Soh, hat vo bo ink abow tha toondament?" he asked, his mouth completely full.

"The tournament?" Alex asked, always being able to understand him somehow. "I'm excited, though I don't know if I want to go…"

"Don't want to _go_?" Mary, one of my bunkmates diagonally from me asked. She was one of the people in my study group. "How could you not want to _go_?"

Alex shrugged. "People die in those tournaments."

"People die in real life, too, Velázquez."

"Well I'm going," I said, poking at my pasta. Nothing could get me off of my high, not even the food. "I'll sign up on Wednesday, first thing." I smiled down at my food. I was hungry, yeah, but so excited that butterflies were riling inside.

_This year is mine, and I'm going to grasp the bull by the horns._

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**I hope I haven't scared you all off yet! Here are some notes to help understand a little bit better.**

_Note 1: _CG, LG, LO, all have specific meanings. It kind of sucked having to type it out each time. Hopefully you weren't confused! CG: Colonel General, LG: Lieutenant General, LO: Leading Officer

_Note 2: _E1 is an Enlisted man or woman in the military. It is the first level, followed by E2, E3, all the way up to E9. In each branch of the Military, Enlisted Personnell are named differently, hence "Airman Basic" for the Airforce, "Private" for the Army and Marines, and "Seaman Recruit" for the Navy. (All E1 ranks.) Officers are higher rank and pay grade than Enlisted Personnell, and start at O1 and moving up to O10, which is what The General is.

_Note 3:_ You may notice some military terms such as "Ad ease" and "Attention!" throughout the remainder of this story. I will post their meaning if they are typed in, though. "Ad ease:" Individuals are permitted light movement given their right foot does not leave the ground; they are not allowed to talk. "Attention" was described in detail.

_Note 4: _Think of "Physical Training" clothes as gym clothes. More of a description will be given later, by Viktor.


	2. Branches: the American Academy of Magic

**Welcome to another installation of The Academy! This chapter deals with some more details, I'm sorry, I'm a very detailed person. Notes are, again, at the end. If you have any other questions, feel free to message me personally, or leave a review. Both are appreciated(:**

**I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I JK, nor do I have her talent. I also do not own Viktor Krum, though I do love his character.**

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**The American Academy of Magic's Branches of Military**

**June 10, 1996**

_Diary Entry 42,_

_He knows! Dear God, he knows!_ _Five months through and I've finally told him, but so many have died. He's come back beaten and bloody, but he still won't admit to me what's happened... Damn it, I know what he's going through, why won't he just tell me? Why won't he let me help him? I may have my...condition...but my entire worth isn't based on that! I am one of the strongest Dark Wizards in the Academy, and I'm pretty damn good at defending myself, too. Just let me help, Viktor, please..._

**October 9, 1994**

"Harry—it's _Krum_!" Ron squealed, watching the man's every step. He didn't seem to notice the rest of the Durmstrang delegation as they followed afterwards, nor the large, brooding man beside the famous Seeker. "I don't believe it! _Krum_, Harry! Viktor Krum!"

"For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," Hermione scoffed as she rolled her eyes at her red-haired friend. She knew for a fact that the large, brooding man was Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang. There were some rumors about entanglement with the Dark Lord and interest in the Dark Arts, but then again, they were only rumors.

"_Only a Quidditch player? _Hermione, he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still in school."

"Oh," said one girl as they were walking into the great hall with the twins and Lee Jordan, "I don't believe it, I don't have a single quill on me—"

"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"

"_Really_," Hermione scoffed as they sat down. The girls gave her scathing looks and trudged on. What was the big deal? Really, he was only a man who played a sport. Now, if he were Terry Venables, she would understand. That man was a genius! She wouldn't be surprised if he was coach for England's football team in the next year or two.

"_I'm _getting his autograph if I can." Ron looked to Harry. "D'you have a quill on you, Harry?"

"Nope, they're upstairs in my bag."

Hermione was, for once, grateful that Harry had forgotten something for class. As if Ron needed another reason to moon over Quidditch!

They walked through the familiar halls, pulling Ron away as they went. Sitting down at the Gryffindor table was normal, but the excited buzz around the room was not, nor was the panting Ron. Everyone was waiting for Dumbledore to quit chatting and stand up and announce the arrivals already!

They all looked over to the front of the room, _finally_, where Dumbledore was standing when he suddenly announced, "Please welcome our friends from Beauxbatons!" and instantly the doors opened and the Beauxbatons came in, doing some sort of strange dance. Hermione noticed that Harry and Ron were strangely entranced by one of the women towards the back, standing next to a very large woman. Not large as in wide, but large as in _tall_. The other woman was pretty, if you liked the tall, thin, blonde-haired blue-eyed type. Apparently the boys did.

All of the women were wearing thin blue silk dresses, covered in a blue silk shawls, and finished with blue silk hats adorning their heads. Dainty white gloves were on their hands.

The all-female school sat themselves at the Ravenclaw table, but only after entrancing most of the male student body.

Ron, quickly shaking his head to get rid of the apparent pheromones in the air, watched intently when Dumbledore announced, "And give a warm greeting to our friends from the North, from the Durmstrang Institute!" who then came marching in and pounding their staffs on the ground in a strangely intimidating manner.

Some of them went forwards, blowing out fire eagles in the form of what looked to be Fiendfyre. Hermione frowned—she had heard that Durmstrang was a Dark Arts school, but to use cursed fire?

Many of the girls were swooning at the tall, handsome men. Even some of the boys were, though it was probably towards Viktor Krum instead of the men. One could wonder, though…

"And," Dumbledore said mysteriously, as the Tournament was only supposed to have two other schools besides Hogwarts performing, "there was a last-minute exception to join the Triwizard Tournament. So technically, wouldn't be the Quadwizard Tournament?" he mused to himself, chuckling, though he quickly sobered. "Greet your brethren from overseas, the American Academy of Magic!"

There was a unanimous gasp throughout the room, and a bugle was sounded. _The Americans have _never_ come to the school!_ A very large man pushed through the doors, walking forwards, up towards the podium. He seemed too young to be a Headmaster.

"Where'd _he _come from?" Ron asked in a whisper, leaning over.

Hermione shrugged, but thought that she had seen some kind of flying object in the sky sometime during the early morning. That was strange.

And his clothes…very strange, indeed.

He was wearing a long-sleeved, midnight blue coat with a standing collar and belt that was also midnight blue, with a gold M-buckle. He was wearing a white cap that Hermione had seen before, in military Muggle moves. Underneath the coat, he was wearing a plain white shirt, and below it, sky blue trousers. There were also white gloves, and black dress shoes and socks. Full-size medals were on his left chest, with ribbon-only awards on the right. He looked to be wearing a sheath of some kind, holding a…_a sword?_ Everything was very formfitting.

The man quickly explained who he was once he got up there, in a very booming voice. "I am Second Lieutenant Leo Langston of the American Academy of Magic's Branch of the Military, the Marines. We are, will be, and always have been the first into any scenario. Our Branch, our _school_, prides itself on discipline, respect, punctuality, and survival. The Marine Corps fulfills a vital role in national security as an amphibious, expeditionary, air-ground combined arms task force, capable of forcible entry from the air, land and sea."

Suddenly a large, "OORAH!" filled the room, and everyone turned around to see a group of about forty men and maybe ten women emerging. Hermione noticed that six of the women wore pants, like the men, and that the other four had opted to wearing a skirt, hose, and black pumps. Another strange thing was that, where the "Second Lieutenant" had had all midnight blue coloring, the others besides six or seven had red piping along edges. Also, the belts on the others was white, without the buckle.

For some reason, half of the delegation seemed…_lifeless_…

"From the halls of Montezuma!" Leo Langston cried, his arms behind his back as he studied the men on the other side of the hall.

"To the shores of Tripoli!" the formation cried back, taking a large, pounding step forwards.

"We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea."

After this last line, the entire formation cried _OORAH! _again, and started marching in time to a slightly familiar tune played on a single trumpet, accompanied by one drummer. _Something from a movie back home_, she thought, trying to remember what it was.

The formation was at the front of the room now, and the Second Lieutenant instantly cried, "Men!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Hermione felt a slight amount of annoyance at the man calling all of them "men" even though some of them were women. "Who are we?"

"United States Marines. The American Academy of Magic's Marine Corps. Branch, Sir!"

"And what is our Creed?"

"This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will…

"My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...

"My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...

"Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!"

"And where are your rifles, soldiers?" the man demanded, waving his hand in mid-air. A bright flash of blue and grey appeared, and a long black rifle was instantly in his hands. "I have mine. Where are yours?"

Suddenly wands were drawn from under the sleeves of half of the students, and pointed directly at the person next to them who didn't have wands. There was a sudden explosion of blue light, shooting skywards from a person at the end of the row.

"Here is my rifle, SIR!"

People stared in awe as the next student waved their wand, and the lifeless person next to them exploded in a blast of grey. "My rifle is human, SIR!" she cried, her steely grey eyes flashing as she grasped the barrel and held it in front of her, diagonally.

This happened, over and over again, until only twenty men and five women were left. The last man exploded his lifeless counterpart, grabbed the rifle that appeared, and cried, "My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country, SIR!"

"WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY AS UNITED STATES MARINES!" they all cried at once, and all went silent.

"What magic!" Hermione cried after everyone had started clapping. "I…I've never heard of transfiguring an object into a person! It's unthinkable!"

"They're like _robots_," Ron whispered, his mouth agape as he stared at the small formation as it made its way to the side.

"Is that supposed to be the point?" Ginny asked, squinting her eyes as the men and few women moved to stand at the side, making room for what seemed to be many, many more people. "I'm not exactly sure."

Suddenly the back doors were blown open, causing the entire hall to go silent. There was a curvy woman standing in the doorway. "Company!" she cried, not turning around to the group of people who suddenly behind her in bursts of smoke, with many loud _POP_! noises. "Atten… HUT!"

There was a unanimous sound of feet moving together, perfectly in sync. All of these people were wearing very different uniforms than to the "Marines", again, something that Hermione had seen in many different military movies. Most of the women were wearing what looked to be black skirts that went to right below their knees, with plain black one-inch pumps on their feet and skin-colored hose up their legs. Underneath a very ornately-decorated black four-button jacket was a white-collared shirt and tie, neatly bound. Almost all of the students were wearing strange-looking hats that Hermione knew to be berets.

The men, and some of the women, were wearing strangely blue pants, with shiny black shoes. The men were wearing bow-ties instead of the regular tie, maybe signaling a difference? Hermione didn't know.

There were about fifty of them over all, though, making the count around seventy-five so far.

Everyone had different badges, ribbons, and insignias all over them. The woman in front, who had called out to the rest of the students, had the most ribbons on the right side of her chest, with many pins on the left around her name tag. Hermione couldn't read it from so far back. A few men and women behind her seemed to have more ribbons, though, and some had different insignias on their shoulders and arms.

"Company…fall in!"

All of the people instantly went into a square formation, perfectly in line.

"Present…arms!"

Suddenly rifles appeared out of thin air, dropping into each person's arms. Everyone caught them in sync, holding them out diagonally in front of them, not moving.

"Forward…MARCH!" The woman then started off on her left foot, moving forwards. Everyone followed her, the marching making a loud, continuous rhythm throughout the room. "Right shoulder, ARMS." The guns were instantly put onto the person's right shoulder, and nothing was out of rhythm. "Close, MARCH!" The formation narrowed. "Counter-column, MARCH!"

The entire formation reversed direction while marching. The columns neatly turned in on themselves and at the end of the movement, the entire marching column had reversed direction.

"Extend, MARCH!" she cried, and the formation moved outwards. "Mark time…MARCH!" The entire delegation stopped moving forwards, though they were still marching. "To the rear, MARCH!"

They turned around again, still in formation somehow. The woman then stood up taller, moving towards the front of the room with purpose. She turned around when she reached the podium.

"I am Second Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson of the American Academy of Magic's Branch of Military, the Army. I am an American Soldier, an Army Soldier, and we have a creed. We are Warriors and members of a team. We serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values. We will always place the mission first. We will never accept defeat. We will never quit. We will never leave a fallen comrade.

"We are disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. We always maintain our arms, our equipment, and ourselves. We are experts and we are a professionals. We stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat. We are guardians of freedom and the American way of life. We are American Soldiers.

"May I present the Army Branch, Years Fifth through Seventh, and the Army Drill Team," she said calmly and clearly, her accent slightly strange, Hermione noticed, from listening to her speech. Compared to Leo's, this woman's speech patter was softer, slower, though could get icy with the narrowing of her eyes. "Cadence, SOUND!"

In an instant, drums appeared in a burst of bright gold light, dropping into the hands of two men in the front row. Where their guns had gone, Hermione didn't know. They started playing a beat that was vaguely familiar to her.

"Drill…ONWARD!"

A set of twenty or so students moved forwards, moving to stand in front of the woman on the podium. They kept beat with the drums, and when they were turned around, suddenly started spinning their guns in unison. Their movements were full of turns, twists, and throwing, entrancing their audience.

Though, as this was going on, the rest of the group was singing something along the lines of _Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!, the Army's on its way…_ It was rather catchy, if she did say so herself.

With a last _HOOAH!_, the gunmen stopped their performance. The woman at the front instantly cried, "Forward, MARCH!" The rest of the students moved forwards, joining the ranks of the others. "Company…HALT!" All marching stopped. "Gunman…in position."

In an instant, the front row of performers (all wearing pants,) bent down on one knee, aiming their guns up into the air. "Gunman…FIRE!" Showers of bullets rained into the air, making the audience scream in fright.

But all that happened was a vast shower of gold, grey, and black fireworks, forming different formations in the sky. The last formation appearing was that of a gold star, with the words ARMY OF ONE underneath.

"Parade, REST." The gunman put the gun's butt on the floor by their foot, extending their arm. The other arm went behind them as their feet spread out shoulder-width.

And then all was silent.

At least, until the thunderous applause sounded. The woman at the podium looked relieved instead of pleased, and she let out a breath of air she appeared to have been holding. Silently, she moved her team to the side, next to the Marines, still leaving room.

Suddenly a soft hum came around, and the applause slowly died. Every candle in the enchanted sky blew out, and some people screamed. Everyone looked around to find the source of the humming, but found none. It was slightly… _angelic._ She could have seen the Hogwarts choir singing that song. _Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the restless wave…_

Suddenly someone interrupted the beautiful music with a scream of, "THEY'RE IN THE FLOOR!" Hermione looked down to see that, yes, students were rising from the ground as if it were water, though none of them were wet.

"Blimey, they're dead!" Ron cried, his face going paler than it already was. "Awh, bloody hell. What kind of school are these people from?"

The bodies were indeed dead, with skeletal structures in the dark room. All that looked like women were holding candles, slowly moving through the floor and towards the front. There were about forty in all.

"First their guns are transfigured into people, then they shoot at us, now they're dead, what's next? They'll be flying around in those Muggle contraptions or something…" _Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude…_

Hermione wished that Ron would quit complaining. That melody was just beautiful, almost as if it were entrancing her. She tried to think it through, only to noticed that almost everyone else around her—besides Ron, who was still moaning—was entranced as well.

The song ended, but the humming did not. One single man brought himself from the ground completely, suddenly flesh and bone again instead of skeletal as the others still were. He stood at the podium, his face stern, his eyes aged beyond their years. He was wearing a high stand-collared white tunic, with black shoulder boards that held some kind of tassel-like objects, white trousers, and white shoes. He had the most ribbons, medals, and pins, too, of all of his comrades, besides a few.

"I am Ensign Oliver Bradley of the American Academy of Magic's Branch of Military, the Navy," he said, his voice low and smooth, like butter. "I have chosen to serve in the United States Navy. We have a creed:

"America depends on our performance for her survival, and we accept the challenge to set our standards high, placing our country's well-being above self interest." During this, many skeletal figures rose from the murky depths of the floors, becoming solid. They took out wands—the ones without candles—and pointed them at the ceilings.

"We will be loyal to our country, its Constitution and laws, and to our shipmates. We will be honest in our personal and professional life and encourage our shipmates to do the same." The sky was becoming darker by the moment, all of the candles somehow gone. Lightning flashed overhead, making some Hufflepuff girl cry out in fright. More were out of the floor.

"We will, to the best of our ability, do the right thing for its own sake, and we are prepared to face pain or death in defense of our country. We will be professionals, wearing our uniforms with pride and accepting responsibility for our actions. We will set excellence as our standard and always strive for ways to make us a better sailor and our crew a better crew."

Suddenly everyone was out of the floor, all wands pointed to either the ceiling or floor. The floor was now a torrent of waves, the ceiling a deadly black vastness.

"Neptune has control over the sea, has it at his whim. Just because we are magically inclined does not mean we can control fate," Oliver Bradley said calmly, with a cold glint in his voice. "We do naught for self, but for country."

"HOOYA!" they all cried, and instantly bright yellow beams flew out of all of the wands. The weather instantly cured, to become sunny and wonderful. "NOT SELF, BUT COUNTRY, SIR!" and all was quiet.

Rowdy applause went through the room, and Ron cried out, "_This is brilliant! I'm going to start watching those Muggle movies you keep telling me about, Hermione!_"

She rolled her eyes. _Of course you are, Ron. You were just moaning about what they were going to do to you next. Not that they've done anything, of course._

When everything got quiet, Hermione noticed that all three of the Leading Officers were talking with Dumbledore seriously. They pointed up to the ceiling a few times, which was still sunny and bright.

Suddenly a blast of brown, blue, and white made a _BOOM_, and the three at the top of the podium jumped, giving scathing looks when they saw who was there. There was a tall, blonde-haired man with a spiffy blue-black jacket, many ribbons, pins, and medals on his chest. A simple white-collared shirt underneath, and a tie. There was a thick belt around his waist, and shiny black shoes on his feet. He had the same-colored blue-black pants, and seemed to be very happy about everything, even the scathing looks.

"Hi, everybody," he said, a big grin on his face.

_Who does he remind me of?_ Hermione wondered as the man just grinned.

"Hello!" Fred and George said back, grinning the same way.

Oh, well. I should have known.

The man at the podium waved to them, then said, "My name is Second Lieutenant Justin Lucas, but you can all call me Justin. Everyone else does." There was a group of chuckles from somewhere in the ceiling, and everyone looked up, though nothing was there.

"I'm from the A-A-M's Branch of Military, the Air Force. _I_," he said smugly, making his voice deeper, "I am an American Airman. I am a Warrior. I have answered my nation's call. I am an American Airman. My mission is to fly, fight, and win.  
I am faithful to a proud heritage, a tradition of honor, and a legacy of valor. I am an American Airman, Guardian of freedom and justice, my nation's sword and shield, its sentry and avenger. I defend my country with my life."

"Let me guess," Ron said scathingly, Hermione shushing him, "he's an American Airman."

Hermione and Harry had to stifle laughs at the point when the man said, "I am an American Airman: Wingman, Leader, Warrior. I will never leave an Airman behind. I will never falter, and I will not fail."

He let there be a moment of silence before he burst out in a grin. "You are all probably expecting something cool to happen." There were some laughs that rang out through the hall. "Well, I'm not gonna disappoint you!"

Some people cheered loudly before a trumpet appeared out of thin air. The Airman grasped it and started blowing a loud, fast-paced tune.

Instantly people gasped, pointing upwards. Gunshots looked like they were raining through the air, but no one was shooting from the ground. Then, a pair of feet appeared out of the ceiling, then legs, then a body, and then a head. Lastly came a parachute, and many sets of feet started showing.

All of the parachuting soldiers started singing, some of them holding trumpets, others drums, and some were conjuring life-like airplanes to start flying around the room, making as much noise as possible. Others were making fireworks, explosions, and general mayhem.

_Off we_ _go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun!…_

This time, the song was long, but fun to listen to. By the end of it, though, most of the men and women were on the floor, all of them wearing the same thing as Justin, except the women were wearing pristine white skirts and black pumps. All fifty of them stood up in a square, as in sync as any of the other three Branches, and looked like they had just come out of a military movie.

"Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, please meet the American Academy of Magic's Air Force," Justin said, gesturing to them.

Everyone then started clapping, and Dumbledore came to the podium, two of the people on either side of him, clapping as well. "Well done, well done America!" he cried, laughing heartily. "Splendid displays of magic! Please, take the seats that please you."

The Marines looked around, and their Leading Officer, Leo Langston, pointed towards the Slytherin table where the Durmstrang students had sat. The Navy looked as well, and Ensign Oliver Bradley appeared to have taken interest in Ravenclaw. He ordered his men towards the place where the Ravenclaws and Beauxbatons were sitting.

The Air Force saw a few happy faces over at Hufflepuff and quickly made their way there, and Hermione looked up to see that the woman who had lead the Army was standing right beside her. "Do you mind if my troops and I sit here?" she asked softly, smiling.

Ron and Harry seemed a little dumbstruck, Ron only managing a, "N-not at all!"

"Company, just sit," she said, a sparkle of laughter in her eyes. The rest of her group chose different places to sit along the Gryffindor table, the girl just sitting beside Hermione. "My name's Leigh Ann Nelson," she said, holding out her hand. "Born and raised in South Carolina, in the US of A."

* * *

**Too confusing? I apologize! But, i still hope you enjoy. The next two chapters are where it starts getting pretty darn interesting. You FINALLY get to know what Leigh Ann looks like, and two chapters from now, you see from Viktor's POV!**

_Note 1: _Terry Venables replaced Graham Taylor as coach of England's football team in 1994/1995.

_Note 2: _"Army of One" was the Army saying back in the 90's. Now it is "Army Strong." It took me a long while to figure out which slogan they were using when, and I have family _in_ the Army!

_Note 3: _All of the "March" commands were hopefully explained enough. If not, please message me.


	3. The Goblet of Fire

**A short chapter, but a chapter nonetheless! Some banter between the main characters and mine, and then some explanation into a weird casket, or in other words, "Who died?"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling is an amazing writer, I could never stand up against her! Leigh Ann is mine, as well as her brother, sister, and parents. Viktor, sadly, is not.**

* * *

**The Goblet of Fire**

**October 13, 1996**

_Dear Diary,_

_This will be the last time I can read this diary. It's too full of him. It's too full of all the horror, of everything I'm trying to forget. I can't let him be hurt...I can't let her be hurt either. There's too much of a chance that they'll find him. I'm sending her away today... Damn, why am I even writing this when I know that it will have to be destroyed?_

_Even in the back of my mind, I know that I'm going to keep this damnable thing. My heart will ache, and my eyes will cry, but I know that I'll need this to explain...even in the future. To myself, to her..._

_To him. To -_

**October 13, 1994**

"_My name's Leigh Ann Nelson," she said, holding out her hand. "Born and raised in South Carolina, in the US of A."_

She shook the outstretched hand. "Hermione Granger, from here in London," Hermione said, smiling into the woman's almond-shaped, hazel eyes. She had long, thick, dark brown hair and a dark olive complexion that looked like it tanned well. Her face was a long heart, with high cheekbones, a well-defined chin, and a strangely-shaped nose that wasn't exactly straight, nor was it exactly small. With thick but shaped dark eyebrows, a high forehead, and a clear complexion, she was a naturally pretty girl.

"It's nice to meet you. You have no idea how nervous I've been."

Harry turned to look at her, saying, "You sounded just fine giving out all of those commands."

"Used to it, I guess." She shrugged her delicate shoulders, the only part about her that anyone would be able to call 'delicate.' Her arms were long and thin, though she seemed big-boned and slightly clumsy. From far away she looked smaller, but now that she was closer, Hermione could tell that she wasn't as "small" as the other women. Not that she was fat, but she was rounder, and wider. She seemed a little too soft to be in the military.

But suddenly her face turned stony. She stood up and saluted, her eyes hard, her face emotionless. Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat. "Students, before we start…this is General George Harrington, Headmaster of the American Academy of Magic."

"Good to see you again, Dumbledore," the man said, all decked out in what appeared to be a part of the Army uniform. The two Headmasters shook hands. "Your school is _magnificent_! And the ghosts—wonderful, the Bloody Baron is! And Peeves… never seen such a pessimistic ghost, that's for sure. Can't have ghosts in the school, the parents tend to complain…I would love to have a poltergeist, you have no idea, Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore just laughed. "I am glad to see you well, old friend. We have prepared a seat for you here, with the rest of the staff. Please, sit."

The General turned around, saluted his students, who then stood with their arms behind their backs until their General sat, and then sat down themselves.

"Sorry 'bout that," Leigh Ann said, smiling at them. All signs of seriousness were now gone. "Protocol. Now, what's your name, Ginger?"

Ron seemed a little confused about the name, but he told her all the same. "Name's Ron Weasley. Good t' meet you, Leigh Ann." She smiled brilliantly at him, though why she seemed interested in greeting underclassmen, Hermione had no idea.

"And you're Harry Potter," Leigh Ann said, nodding her head towards The Boy Who Lived. "It's nice to meet you too." Harry, as always, looked a little sheepish, and she seemed to notice. "Oh, don't worry, its not like I stalk you or anything. You're a legend, even in America. I'm glad to see it doesn't all go to your head."

"Don't worry," Ron said, leaning over to pick up the bangs on Harry's forehead, to show the woman his scar, "it does."

Hermione slapped Ron's hand away from the blushing forehead of Harry Potter, to notice that the woman was looking around at the school, simple curiosity in her eyes. She was admiring everything from the floors, to the teacher's table, to the teachers themselves. She had eyes that, although plain, were so full of curiosity that they intrigued even Hermione. Dumbledore seemed to interest her the most.

Suddenly she snapped into alertness and said, "Oh, it looks like we're about to start."

Dumbledore was standing at the owl podium. "I must say that I have great pleasure and excitement in welcoming everyone to Hogwarts. I hope that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable, and not to mention fun! The Tournament will be opened at the end of the feast. Officially! I now ask you to eat, drink, and commence in merriment!"

The plates in front of them filled to the brim, and Hermione noticed that the house elves in the kitchens had outdone themselves. She looked over to see that Leigh Ann's face had completely lit up at the sight, but then her entire face fell. She then picked up a small portion of chicken and herbs.

"Haht hind hoff heelleh ish thaht?" Ron asked, his mouth already crammed with food. Hermione translated it out to, "_What kind of meal is that?_"

"It's a meal that's meant to keep me down in my weight," Leigh Ann said sullenly, picking at the food. Obviously she was another one of those people who could understand people like Ron. "I mean, look at all of you. So thin…how do you do it? Three full meals a day, all you can eat, and half of you are stuffin' yourselves." She gave an indeterminable look to Ron. "If I keep gainin' weight, I'll lose rank. Not that I care about weight, but I do care about my rank. Like, a lot."

"That's horrible!" Hermione exclaimed, making a few people look at her curiously. "I mean, schools are schools, not exercise rooms! Why do you have to—"

"We have to stay a certain weight," Leigh Ann said a little quickly, her eyes narrowing as she looked away from the table. "That's all I know. I don't question my school's rules."

Hermione was slightly taken aback. She hadn't thought that it would be such a rough spot with the woman, but still, something wasn't right. Not that Leigh Ann wasn't a beautiful woman, but a school was a school!

"Isn't it stuffy in all of those clothes?" Ron asked quickly to break the tension, looking at all of the Academy's students. "And all of those medals…what are those little colorful rectangles?"

"They're ribbons, and no, it's not stuffy. It's a little bit colder up here than where we are in America. It's not confusin', either, not when you're used to it. Now the _Navy_ outfit, that's confusin'."

"Why?" Hermione asked, always one for knowledge. She also wanted to show Leigh Ann that she could do more than criticize beliefs.

Leigh Ann looked at Hermione, as if trying to determine what the younger girl was made of. "Because they have one for each climate, and a different camouflage for every type of terrain. I'm glad I'm not in the Navy. Now _they're _stuffy. I should know, my sister's in there and she's as up-tight as they come."

"Where's she at?" Harry asked, turning around to look for a brown-haired, hazel-eyed girl similar to Leigh Ann.

"She's only a Fourth Year, so she couldn't come. First through Fourth, Eighth and Ninth Years weren't allowed to come."

"Blimey, you have _nine years of school_?" Ron asked, horrified. The look on his face could be compared to the one when he saw a spider. "How do you not go bonkers?"

Leigh Ann snorted. "We start when we're twelve, and aren't allowed to get magic until twenty-one or married, so we're grateful to go to school."

"School for nine years…" Hermione said dreamily, stopping the eating of her tart. "That sounds lovely!"

"Not really, no, but it could be worse. It's much newer than this place, and warmer, but less roomy. More grounds, though. Each Branch bunks with the rest, separate bunks for separate genders. The Navy lives at the docks, we live in barracks on land. The Marines get lodges, the lucky bastards, and the Air Force has hangers and lives with their planes."

"How about Quidditch? Do you have teams?"

"Sure do, but I can't play to save my life." Hermione looked up to see that Leigh Ann had almost choked on her drink. Her face was beet red under her dark tan. "It's not that I'm afraid of heights. But every time I get on a broom, I just get scared, not thinkin' that the broom will hold me. Then I plummet down. Nope, you won't catch me on a broom. _Ever._ I watch, though, and know everythin' about it."

"Fair enough," Ron conceded, and Hermione was grateful that the talk of Quidditch was over. _I've heard enough about Viktor Krum to last a lifetime._

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. Hermione noticed that Ron, Harry, and Leigh Ann were bristling with excitement, though she was just curious as to what was about to happen.

"The moment has arrived," Dumbledore said, smiling broadly, kindly. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to begin. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket—"

"What, did someone die?" Ron asked, and Hermione saw that Leigh Ann smiled dryly.

"—just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation—" there was a smattering of polite applause— "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

Leigh Ann and many of the AAM students were louder, as well as Hogwarts, when they applauded. "Love that man!" she cried, letting out some strange cry that many of the other Army students copied. _Hooah? What's a 'Hooah?'_

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the room, and yet nothing in particular, "including the part of allowing our American comrades to join us. They will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, and General Harrington on the panel that will judge the champions' wins, ties, and unfortunately, losses."

Suddenly Dumbledore smiled, and maybe her sensed how well everyone was listening. "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

The caretaker skulked out of the corner of the Hall, approaching with a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels that looked extremely old, as if it would fall apart at any moment.

"You're right, someone's dyin'," Leigh Ann said, giving Ron's arm a tap. "I think it's that old man." Ron almost couldn't keep his laughter contained. Hermione thought it a crude joke, but she couldn't help thinking that it was kind of funny.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," Dumbledore said as Filch up the casket on the table in front of Dumbledore. "They have made the necessary arrangements. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways…their magical prowess—their daring—their powers of deduction-and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

Leigh Ann looked like she was about to fall out of her seat in excitement.

"As you know, three champions—now four—compete in the Tournament, one form each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

The Headmaster then took out his wand and tapped the top of the box three times. The lid creaked slowly open, and he reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly-hewn wooden cup. It would have been completely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore then closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school legibly on a slip of parchment and deposit it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the four it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.

"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you who wishes to compete that this Tournament is not to be entered lightly. Once a champion has been selected, he or she is obligated to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

"Yeah, good night for all of _you_," Leigh Ann grumbled with a yawn, rubbing one eye. "We've still got to build our barracks."

"Tough luck, mate," Ron said, standing up and yawning, causing Hermione to do the same. She was glad that she didn't have to stay up any later. "We'll see you tomorrow, eh?"

"If I'm still welcome at the breakfast table," she said, sounding slightly hesitant.

"Of course," Hermione said, feeling confused. "Why wouldn't you be?"

Leigh Ann shrugged. "Just bein' silly, I guess. Well, sweet dreams, you guys. I'll see you in the mornin', and what an early mornin' it will be."

* * *

**Hmm? **


	4. The First Meeting

**Tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I am, nor will I ever be JK Rowling. She is a mastermind, I tell you! Viktor Krum also belongs to her.**

* * *

**The First Meeting**

The bugle sounded, and I rolled my eyes, stuffing my face into my pillow. "Oh, _why_…" I groaned in frustration, my back stiff from lifting all of the pieces of metal for the women's barrack.

It was five o'clock in the morning, same as always, but because we were up until midnight putting together the barracks—_without magic_—we were all tired and groaning into our pillows.

"Get up," I mumbled to a girl named Allison in the bunk next to me. We ran together on occasion. I threw a pillow at her and she groaned.

"I don't want to…"

"If you don't get up and get your bunk in tip-top shape, I'm going to make you hurt so bad that you _can't_ get up." It was a bold-faced lie, but then again, she couldn't see my face. It was my job to get them up and ready for the day, which I couldn't even make _myself_ do.

Allison, as well as the other twenty girls in my barrack, groaned and moved to get up, quickly making their beds. They all grabbed their dress uniforms, and I called, "We're not dressing in Class A's just yet, girls. Get in your PT. The General has a training session."

"What?" someone asked incredulously, and I shook my head, climbing up my bunk ladder to see them all.

"Not my orders. First Lieutenant McCurdy and I heard it directly from the General last night when all of you were already in bed. Get dressed. Today will be a _long_ day."

**Viktor Krum**

Viktor had vaguely heard a trumpet some time that morning, but had still been in bed and wasn't about to get up. Later, when had gotten up, he looked outside to see that the American Academy was already up, doing…_drills_? At five in the morning?

He looked through his large window, watching with interest now. He could see that many things had happened during the night. First, there was another boat at the other side of the lake, as well as a dock. It looked to be something that should have been in World War I, not in the 1990's. Then, there was a large wooden lodge somewhere over by the woods.

What Viktor thought was an aircraft carrier was positioned near the outskirts of the fields, and lastly there were two large barracks—if that's what they were, it was what they looked like—that stood side-by-side, with a large training facility in between.

It had rope climbs, rock walls, nets, barbed wire, the works. Viktor had never seen such things. Then again, he had never met people who talked so fast, either. They were all very well-spoken, though, if the Marines not a little rowdy. They all had slightly different English accents, pronouncing things differently, confusing many of the Bulgarian- and Russian- speaking Durmstrang students.

He did have to say, though, it looked like they were training hard. Even the women, who should not have done anything, were out there running, swimming, and even dueling with the others. Some had their wands out and were practicing combat moves, others practicing defense.

Today the outfits were all different, most of them with black, silky-looking shorts, and some with a lighter grey. Some were wearing grey shirts with the word **ARMY** printed across the front, others with plain grey shirts, others with black, others with tan.

"_What are you looking at?_" Ivann, one of his better friends, asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He had fallen asleep in the chair in the corner of the room by the fireplace and was irritably rubbing the kinks out of his back.

"_The _Ameericeens."

"_They are strange._" Ivann yawned again and stood up, stretching. He then grabbed his robes for another day. "_All of them are._"

"_They do not live like we do. What time do you think they got up?_"

"_What do you mean?_"

Viktor moved out of the way and gestured out to the Americans. "_Look for yourself._"

Ivann, his hair mussed, his eyes bloodshot from vodka, pushed back his hair and stumbled over to the window. "_They're going through exercises? The __**women**__ too?_"

"_The women over there have more freedom then back at home._"

"_It's…not that I have a __**problem**__ with it, it's just that…_"

"_Their women have commanding positions. Did you see the one? The…ah…_ Second Lieutenant Leahn Neelsoon. _She was in charge._"

"_And there wasn't a single toe out of line_," Ivann said with a snort of dry humor. "_I was prepared for barbarians, but not __**this**__._"

"_The woman has earned her position, and so have her comrades. We will treat them with respect._"

"_Hmm...right.__ Look at them go!_"

Viktor shook his head and turned his eyes away from the window—he had located the woman and had been watching her as she stopped and took a water break. She was talking to a man, pointing out somewhere in the training field. She then took out her wand, magically mending a small fixture. She looked angry, threateningly pointing her wand at him, then the ground.

The man then fell to the floor, doing pushups.

He did have to say that she was not as the rest of them. Perhaps she was five foot nine, where as most of them were short. She was well-curved in a way that Viktor found interesting. She had an hourglass figure, but he didn't think that he could wrap his hands around her waist. She was not the kind of woman he was normally attracted to.

And yet her smile, when he had looked at her after her routine had been done, had turned something inside of him. She was beautiful, even though she wasn't thin. Her eyes were hazel, surrounded by long, dark lashes. Her lips were thick, the upper one smaller, the lower one full and enticing. And he had remembered a spark in those yellow eyes whenever she had finished with her routine.

"_When are you putting your name into the Goblet_?" Ivann asked, trying to fix his uniform. It was wrinkled, meaning that if Karkaroff saw it, he would be punished into menial labor.

Not that it would be a first. He had to shake his head to get it thinking straight. "_After breakfast. And you?_"

"_Before lunch some time. Though I am sure everyone will want to see you putting your name in. How about all of those girls?_"

"_If you want them, be my guest. Take them._" Mostly, they were girls who looked at him and instantly wanted his money. Not that he hadn't already taken his pleasure with one—she'd been quite beautiful, even if he couldn't remember her name. To tell the truth, he was tired of nameless women. "_Take them all!_"

"_If only,_" Ivann said with a shrug, moving towards the door. _"They__ wouldn't see me through you._"

"_I'm sick of the simpering girls. I want a woman."_

"_Let's just take this one step at a time._" Ivan then opened the door and stepped out. "_You coming_?"

Viktor took one more look outside, seeing that the women were now all down in a large square, three feet apart, doing push-ups. He saw Leigh Ann's long brown hair in a bun, moving up and down with the others. It was interesting to see a woman who had the strength to do such things, with the body of one who caught his eye. He decided something at that moment: when he saw something he wanted, he got it.

"…_Of course._"

And he wanted it.

**Leigh Ann Nelson**

"Alright, you maggots," Major Jason Nelson, my brother, growled, though I knew that he wasn't serious, "it's time for showers, then breakfast. Meet back here at ten hundred hours for Combative trainin'."

I rolled my eyes, then looked at him. Really, he looked more like our father. I looked more like a mixture of both of our parents. He had our grandfather's blue eyes, our father's black hair, and the Nelson family's strong chin, wide nose, and pretty eyes and eyelashes. He was tall, like the rest of us, even though our father was the midget of the family.

I on the other hand had brown hair from _somewhere_, plain hazel eyes, the stubborn chin of my mother's and the heart-shaped face of hers as well.

Lisa Moore, the Lieutenant Colonel of the Ninth Year, said, "And be sure that your name is put into the Goblet before lunch time. I don't care when or how, just make sure it happens."

I got up from the ground after the three hours of physical training, every muscle in my back screaming in protest. "Are we allowed to wear our Class B's?" I asked sarcastically, feeling like I would fall apart.

"Get to your bunk, Second Lieutenant," Lisa said wryly, shooing me away.

"I guess that's a no," I whispered to my brother, who laughed for a moment, then turned serious.

"Get to breakfast before I'm forced to discipline you." He said this mockingly, as if he would dare to do it. "Think how much of an example you'd be setting, _Second Lieutenant_." He snorted, as if it were funny, messing with the hair tie around my wrist like he always did. Normally he broke it, so I took it off and gave it to him.

"Lets see you try, old man," I said back, sticking my tongue out at him.

He threw my hair tie back at me and shooed me off. I hurried off to the showers, getting rid of the three layers of dirt, mud, sweat, and some blood, and then quickly got out as the water was running cold.

Toweling and changing into my Class A's, I grabbed the slip of paper that had my name on it and quickly ran up towards the grand castle, wishing that my best friend was there by my side. She would have loved the look of the place, and all of the foreign accents. She'd gotten in trouble before time to leave, though, and her parent's wouldn't have let her leave anyways.

I rolled my eyes and pushed open the front doors, seeing the grand Goblet of Fire standing in front of me. I took a deep breath, straightened my beret, and walked purposefully up towards the cup, hoping not to trip over my own feet.

"Hey, Leigh Ann!" came a voice, and I turned to see a boy from the Marines giving me a sly grin from across the room. He was surrounded by a few of the other cocky bastards. "You comin' with us, later, babe? We're goin' for a _swim_, and would love to see you in that pretty little swimsuit of yours."

"You don't have a snowball's chance in Hell, Leroy Jenkins, not now, not ever. And I'm an Officer now. You can't use that kind of informal greeting, especially if the other Officers are around."

"They don't scare me."

"No, but I should," came a voice, and I turned around to see my brother behind me, a look of murder on his face. He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder protectively. "Anna is an Officer now, Jenkins, but Officer or no, if I hear that kind of sexual harassment one more time, you'll be out of here before you can say 'air, land, and sea.'"

Roy's pallid face paled even more considerably that it already was. "Y-yes, sir." Then he quickly scurried off.

"Thanks, Jason," I said, shrugging his hand off. "Now my mojo's off. I'm gonna have to wait until after lunch to put my name in the Goblet."

He frowned. "I was just trying to help, kid."

"I can handle myself. Now…don't you have drills to run or something?" I mumbled, looking off into the distance to see that the entire Durmstrang lot was coming in the doors from the Great Hall.

One by one, they all put their names in, until finally, at the end of the line, there was someone my brother instantly gaped at. "Anna—_look_—its Viktor Krum!" he whispered frantically, shaking me roughly.

I glared at him for messing up my beret, taking it off and quickly putting it back on before Lisa Moore or any other Eighth or Ninth Year Officer could see me. "So? What about him?" I hadn't even looked.

"He's the Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team," Jason said in awe, still shaking me subtly.

I shook his arms off of me. "No duh, Sherlock."

"Blimey, right here in front of me…"

"Not two days and you're already speakin' like them," I said, rolling my eyes. He'd already lost his soft South Carolinian drawl, and I was feeling like I was, too. "And anyways, he's just a regular person. I doubt he wants to be treated like some superstar. Though I do want to congratulate him for catchin' the Snitch at the World Cup some time this year."

I loved Quidditch. Not that I played—no, I wouldn't be caught dead on a broomstick. But I knew every in, up, down, sideways, and out of the game and could recite all seven hundred fouls by heart. The Army football _and _Quidditch teams came to me for advice—I may as well have been the coach!

"Well then, go on," Jason said, nudging me forwards.

"What? Oh, not _now_, Jase!" I wasn't just going to walk up to the man and congratulate him—I wasn't _that_ daring.

"I meant put your name in the Goblet."

I slapped his hand away. _Merlin, Jason, you're dense. I'm not a little girl that you need to protect. You don't have to tell me what to do! _I said all of this inside my head, of course. "I already told you, my mojo is ruined! I'll have to wait."

"You're just nervous because the Durmstrang students went, admit it!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm never nervous. It doesn't suit me." He didn't look like he believed me. "Okay, then, I'll put my name in."

Turning on my heel, I walked with dignity over to the cup, past the age line, and threw my name into the fire. It sparkled blue for a moment before turning red and disappearing.

"Happy?" I asked my brother, and he clapped, as well as a few other people. Some cried my name, or _HOOAH!_

I just curtsied for them as well as I could in my Class A skirt, then walked away from the cup, feeling as though a cool air ran over me. Maybe I had been standing there, admiring the cup for too long, but Jason was no where to be seen now, his stomach having called him, and it looked as if many people had left to go towards the Great Hall. I shivered and ran hands over my sore, aching arms.

"Are you alright?" came a deep voice that rolled its 'R's'. I turned, and the first thing I noticed, like I did on every other man, was the handsomeness of his dark brown eyes, like melting in chocolate. And his voice—tenor, yet base. I couldn't tell.

The second thing I noticed was his height—if a man wasn't taller than my five foot eight and a half, something was wrong. Well, this man passed my expectations by a mile there, perhaps six inches above me or more.

Third, I noticed the smile. And since he wasn't smiling, I couldn't tell how it was, but he did have very nice lips, surrounded by dark stubble above and below.

After the third, I just noticed everything. He had rather light, clear skin that looked as if it could tan but hadn't, with a slightly large nose that looked as if it had been broken quite a few times. His eyebrows were thick but shaped well, making his eyesC very penetrating. With buzz cut black hair, he could have worked with my father.

Though the outfit might have been a little out of place. Underneath all of the cloaks I had seen last night, there were blood red, long-sleeved, high-collared shirts that stopped right below the hips. There was a belt that wrapped around the waist, an eagle engraved onto it, with maroon pants below and large black boots that reminded me of Basic.

I had to shake my head to stop myself from staring down where his belt was. "Ah…excuse me?" I asked, feeling a little flustered.

"You looked as if you vere in pain," the man said, his eyes boring straight into me. I hadn't seen such beautiful eyes in a _long_ time.

"Nah, I'm just a little cold," I lied softly, trying to tell myself that this man did _not _affect me.

"Here," he said, sweeping the fur cloak off of his shoulder. "Vear this."

"I couldn't," I said, shaking my hands at his offer.

"I inseest."

I stared at the warm-looking cloak, then shook my head. "Chivalry, at its best," I said, snorting in laughter. He looked confused. _Well, it was funny to me…_ "Ah, never mind. I'm Leigh Ann." I said this as I took the cloak from his hand, enclosing it over my back. It covered me completely, drowning me. It had been a while since something had been bigger than me. My head was a small speck out from the top. And it smelled like him. Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a dark, musky smell, like pines? And snow.

Yeah, snow.

"I know," he said softly, looking at me curiously. "Vould you like to take a valk vith me?"

"Sure thing," I said, feeling slightly curious. First of all, why was this handsome man even talking to me, let alone asking me for a walk? Second of all, who _was_ he? And thirdly…_mmh, he smells good._

I was always attracted to a man who smelled good.

We started walking out into the chilly October air, soon to be November, and I felt warm and cozy.

"Are you sure you don't need this?" I asked, suddenly feeling very selfish.

"No," he said, a small smile on his face. "I am fine." And wow, what a difference that smile was. It made his eyes twinkle, with small crinkles appearing on the sides. He smiled openly, as if it were his last. His teeth were straight and white, too. _Oh, yeah, he has a good smile. _"In Bulgaria, the veather gets much colder than this."

"This is much colder than where I live, so I can't even imagine Bulgaria. Then again, we don't get much snow, either." I wished that I had one of those fur coats to keep. It was really nice, actually, not that I'd need it much.

"Vhere do you live in _Amereeca_?"

I wanted to laugh at how funny he sounded saying 'America,' but it would have been rude, and I _really_ did like his voice, even his accent. "South Carolina. It's by the sea, and it's wonderfully warm."

"I half never been to a varmer climate for a long period of time. This is the closest."

"So you've never been out of the country until now?"

"Only vith Quidditch."

"I love Quidditch," I said with a sigh, snuggling into the coat.

"You do?"

I obviously hadn't heard the excitement in his voice. "Yeah, but I don't play or fly. I can recite all seven-hundred fouls by heart, and know every defensive maneuver there is. Almost all offensive. Do you play for a team in Russia…or Bulgaria…or wherever you live?" I was now officially babbling, but the view was good and he was good company.

He had a large smile on his face. "Bulgaria."

"Ah." I smirked, then, thinking about the World Cup that had just happened. "Sorry to say that I was rooting for the Irish National Quidditch League. I heard that Bulgaria did well, though. Did you go to the World Cup?"

He looked a little confused, though slowly said, "…_Da_—yes. But…you do noot fly?" I shook my head. "Vhy?"

"When I was little…I fell off of a broom. I was a Chaser on the local Junior Pro team. I guess I just never thought of getting back on again."

He gave a grunt of understanding, and then we were in a comfortable silence for a few moments. I knew that he wanted something, though, so I went ahead and started asking it.

"So…" I said, looking up at the clear blue sky, then over to him for a second before darting away. "Is this just a friendly walk or do you have something on your mind, stranger?"

"I vas vanting to know something more about you," he said, his eyes meeting mine for just a moment. "You are very, ah, as you say…_eentreeging_."

I snorted softly in laughter, knowing that I was blushing as I looked away. "About as intriguing as a stick in the mud," I mumbled to myself, smiling off to the water where the World War I warship was docked.

"Your laugh, it is very nice."

I looked up to see if he was kidding, but there was a smile in his eyes, and I felt a small tingling in the bottom of my stomach, as if something were fluttering around. "If you like sounding like a pig," I said wryly, not sure if I wanted that feeling or not.

"You do not half a very good view of yourself." He said this with all seriousness, his brown eyes suddenly searching. "To me, you are very _eentereesting_. And your laugh…it is different."

"And un-ladylike, right?"

"Perhaps. But it is a good different."

I smiled at this. I still didn't know his name—he was stalling.

"So, am I just not goin' to get to know your name or are we goin' to play some kind of game?" _Hah, that rhymed…wait, you've got a hot guy next to you and you're thinking about rhymes?_

He hesitated for a moment—I could see it in his eyes, as everything passed through there with him, it seemed. "A…game."

"We'll see each other, and I'll try to figure it out," I said, wriggling my eyebrows. "But you've got to give me hints!"

He looked confused, as if thinking, "_These Americans…"_ "I…think that vould be alright."

"Okay, so, give me a hint! Is it a normal Bulgarian name? Or is it something you just don't want me to know?"

"Bulgarian."

"Ah…Erik! You know, with a 'K'."

He smirked, shaking his head. "_He_—err, _he _means 'no' in Bulgarian."

Butterflies started fluttering in my stomach again when he directed that smirk at me. "Yeah, I guess you don't look like an Erik. Does it have a 'K' in it?"

It took him a moment to think about the English language. "_Da_—ah, yes."

"Ah…that makes it a little easier. Well, I'll think about it as we walk on." I burrowed down into the coat that smelled like him, and kept on walking beside him. "So, what makes you think I'm so interesting?"

"Even though there vere many older _oofeecers_, you vere the vone to move the troops." He looked at me with something…_different _in his eyes. "And you kept them in line. Most vomen I know could not do that. It vas very _eempresseeve_."

"I'm glad you thought so. I was so nervous, I thought I was going to...well, do something that wouldn't have been very impressive to see." _Throw up._

"You did very nice." For a moment, there was another compatible silence. Then, he looked down at me and asked, "How do you know if I am not just asking you out here to get _eenformation_?"

I smiled softly and instantly said, "Your eyes."

"Vhat?"

I instantly felt slightly idiotic for saying that. _Damn, think before you speak, Nelson! _"Y-your eyes! They're the kind that can't tell a lie." Actually, they were the kind that I was melting into. "And, I figured that if you tried anything, I could take you on. Besides, you've only asked questions about me, Krasimir."

"Vong again."

"Well, I tried. And anyways, like I was saying, you haven't asked a single question about my school, or about how we're taught. Your eyes are friendly. And when you smile, it reaches your eyes. I know those aren't a lot of things to go on, but its what I've lived by so far, so I'm hoping it doesn't let me down now."

He smiled gently, softly saying, "You are _very_ _eenteresting_, Leahn."

"Thank you, Zhivko."

"_He_."

"Augh! Alright. Ah—I guess…we're back at my bunk." I looked up over the metal half-circle, feeling slightly depressed. That had been a very..._interesting_ walk. My company had been wonderful, not counting that he'd been extremely gorgeous, and he was really good to speak to.

The stranger parted the front of the coat, letting in a cold draft. I gasped, and he grasped my right hand, leaning down and putting his hot and rough lips upon my knuckles, over my silver Army class ring. He looked up from his bow with his dark brown eyes and said quietly, "I vill see you tonight?"

"Yes," I said, feeling my heart flutter. _Damn your chivalry! _

He stood up from his bow, still holding my hand. "After dinner?"

"Would you like to come to our celebration? Its going to be for whomever becomes the Champion from our school." _No, no, no, I shouldn't be doing this!_

"I vas going to ask you the same question." He smiled, and I felt faint.

"Well, how about we see what happens, Kiril."

He smiled even wider, making little crinkles appear in the corners of his beautiful chocolate eyes. "_He_."

I shrugged. "A girl can try." Then, I squeezed his hand and backed up slowly. "I'll…see you after dinner."

"I vill look forward to it." He bowed once more, then turned on his heel and walked away.

"Wait!" I cried, shucking off his coat. "Don't you want your—"

"Keep it," he said, his voice carrying across the snow-covered ground. "I vill see you again, _da_?"

I smiled and relaxed, walking backwards, hugging the coat to my body. "Yeah. Yeah, you will."

"Hey," said Lisa Moore said, walking by with a clipboard. She looked a little smug as she watched the back of the strong man leaving, and the fur coat in my arms. "Breakfast over?"

I sighed dreamily. "Nope."

"Did you even eat?"

"You know, for once, I don't think I'm hungry."

And, it was true. For one of the first times in my life that I could remember, I wasn't hungry at all.

* * *

**Well, are you happy about their first encounter? It doesn't stay all crush/puppy love for long. Nope, Leigh Ann has this pet peeve, and it has something to do with males and Quidditch…**

_Note 1: _"ACU" is "Army Combat Uniform," although it is used _after_ April 2005. (This kind is the new "digital" uniform.) As we are in the 90's in this fic, the army uses the "BDU," which stands for "Battle Dress Uniform." It is the camouflage green and brown and black hunting gear that most people think of when they think "Army Uniform."

_Note 2:_ "Class A" and "Class B" refer to the Army Service Uniform. The Class A ASU was worn when the students walked in during the last chapter. The Class B ASU is what Leigh Ann jokes about wearing. It is the Class A, except without the jacket. Almost all ribbons and medals are retained.


	5. And Then There Were Five

**In this chapter, there's some daydreaming by Viktor, and a little bit of jealousy with Fleur and Cedric? There's also some confusion about the relationship between Jason and Leigh Ann. Read on to find out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling is god of this realm, I am only dabbling. Viktor is also not mine. (Sigh.) Though Leigh Ann, Jason, and a few other characters are.**

* * *

**And Then There Were Five**

Viktor moved down the gangplank of the Durmstrang ship slowly, looking subtly everywhere for her. She had intrigued him, made him want to know more about her. Like…how did she fall off of her broomstick when she was younger? Why didn't she try to play? He wanted to know how it was, living in the heat, and wanted to know about her siblings, her family, her life.

_Bah, Viktor...control yourself. She is just one woman—you've had many._

Still, that man, though…the one who had protected her in the entrance hall when the Marine had been sexually harassing her…were they together? His teeth ground together just thinking about him touching her. She didn't seem to be the type to lead two different men on. Then again, she was a woman, and he didn't know how all of their minds worked.

The fact that she didn't know who he was made him feel wonderful. She didn't know that he was "Viktor Krum," World-Class Quidditch Seeker, and hadn't followed him around like all of the other women did, and some of the men. It made him feel even more powerful.

When they entered the Great Hall, it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved, and was now standing in front of Dumbledore's chair at the staff table. He spotted Leigh Ann sitting with a few people around her, raptly listening to a story that the man who had protected her was saying. She laughed, and when she did, her entire face lit up.

He felt a stab of jealousy. Though it and his ego quickly deflated when a thought hit him: _What am I thinking…she doesn't even belong to me._

_Yet_, something in his head was saying. _She doesn't belong to you __**yet**_.

He felt a little better at that, and decided to watch her eyes, and see what she could see in them. Hers had been a startling green-brown, dark brown one moment, then a flashing yellow, then an olive green. He couldn't look away from the curve of her high cheekbones, the blush that had formed whenever he had complimented her. He could tell that she wasn't used to being complimented.

_When will this feast get over?_ he asked himself impatiently, looking over to meet her eyes for the first time that night. She was holding his fur cloak, looking down to it with a pink blush on her cheeks. The woman next to her, one with bushy brown hair, looked at her with confusion, as did the boy—Harry Potter. Viktor did not know what to think of him yet.

He smiled to her, and she smiled back. Then, though, someone stole her attention and she gave him an apologetic glance before turning to talk to them.

Finally, the gold plates returned to being clean, and the level of noise died instantly when Dumbledore got to his feet. On his left and right, the three other Headmasters looked just as expectant as the students. Only the General was looking happy, ready for anything.

"Well, the Goblet is almost ready to decide on the Champions," Dumbledore said, sounding excited. "I think some explanation is in order. When the champions' names are called, I ask them please to walk to the front of the hall, along the staff table, and go through into the next room where they will be receiving their instructions for the First Task."

He took out his wand and made a great, sweeping wave with it. All at once, the light went out, all but the ones within the pumpkins, making the entire room semi-dark. Everyone watched the bright cup, waiting, watching…

Suddenly the flames in the goblet turned bright red, and sparks began to fly. In mere seconds, a plume of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttering out. The entire room gasped, watching on bated breath.

Dumbledore caught the piece of paper and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the now-blue flames. "The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum!"

There was a storm of applause, and Viktor was pounded on the back by those of his schoolmates. He felt instant pride and stood, looking over to where Leigh Ann was sitting, and she looked slightly confused, nodding in congratulations to him. He'd expected a look of awe...but now, all he saw was a slight disappointment.

Still, he couldn't help but smile as he walked along the staff table, disappearing through the door into the chamber, Karkaroff booming, "_Bravo, Viktor! Knew you had it in you!"_

The room was small, surrounded with portraits of wizards. There was a large fireplace keeping the room warm, and four seats situated around the fire. Outside, he could hear, there were no more noises as everyone waited for the next champion.

All that Viktor knew was that this was a great moment in his life, almost as great as catching the Snitch at the World Cup, or even getting onto the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team.

With the way that things had gone that morning with Leigh Ann, and the way things were going just then, he figured that the rest of the week would be a breeze.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," came the loud, clear voice of Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

He could hear sobbing through the wild clapping, thinking that perhaps the women who hadn't been chosen had dissolved into tears. The door opened, and a beautiful woman with long, silver hair and sharp blue eyes walked in gracefully, tall, thin, and lithe. She smiled to him.

"Coongratulations," she said nodding in his direction with a pretty smile.

Viktor instantly knew that she had some kind of Veela blood in her system. After having the Veela mascots for two years for the National Bulgarian Quidditch Team, he could tell. It took him a moment to think of something other than her Veela charm. "You too."

It was either Hogwarts or the American Academy next, and the silence was tense. Suddenly there was a _whoosh_ of flame from outside as Fleur took a seat in one of the plush armchairs, and an intake of breath. "The American Academy of Magic's Champion…is Leigh Ann Nelson!"

There were many "_HOOAH!"_ cries, mostly all at once, and the loudest applause yet. Viktor himself felt confused. _She…is a Champion as well?_

She walked through the door, ringed by a circle of light, nodding politely to Fleur. _She looks like an angel…_ "Hi." He had never seen a more beautiful girl. He only knew that his conquest would be the most intriguing yet.

"Hello," Fleur said snootily, looking angry that Viktor was paying more attention to Leigh Ann than to her.

Leigh Ann then turned to Viktor with confused eyes and said, "So, you're Viktor Krum…I kind of feel like an idiot right now."

"Leahn—"

"First of all, because I couldn't figure out a 'K' name as simple as _Viktor_." If it hadn't been such a serious moment, he would have laughed at the face she was making because of her inability to think of such a name. "Second of all, because we talked about Quidditch all morning, and I didn't even _think_ of who you could be." She threw him his fur coat, a look of bitterness on her face, but he couldn't read her eyes. "So, I guess—"

"The Hogwarts Champion…" Leigh Ann instantly turned towards the door, listening. "Is Cedric Diggory!"

"Huh," Leigh Ann said with a small smile. "He's a good guy. It'll be good to compete with him." The applause for him was almost as loud and long as hers. "And it'll still be good to play with you, too. I'm just a little peeved at you and myself. Mostly myself, though."

"Leahn—"

She held her hand up. "You're barkin' up the wrong tree, Krum."

Cedric then walked in, his brown hair disheveled. He was very handsome, and Viktor wondered what Leigh Ann thought of him. He instantly felt a string of jealousy, though he didn't even know her. All that he _did_ know was that, ever since he had seen her leading her troops, with such pride, with such power, he had wanted to know everything about her. Now that he knew her a slight bit better, he wanted to fill in all of the gaps she had left him with.

"Wotcher," Cedric said, smiling to her. "Congrats, Nelson. Is it okay if I call you that? I mean, I heard the others calling you that and…"

"Everyone else who isn't related to me does," she said with a roll of her eyes, smiling playfully. Viktor again felt a stab of jealousy. "And congratulations to you, too! Just the name, '_Champion_'…it sounds so exciting!"

Cedric was looking at her like something to eat, and Viktor had to clench his fist to keep from saying anything, and instead leaned against the wall, staring into the fire. Cedric stood with his hands behind his back, talking animatedly to Leigh Ann. He noticed that Fleur, sitting, was still trying to get his attention, but he only had eyes for the fire.

"Delightful!" Dumbledore cried from outside. "We now have our four champions. I beg of you to give your champions every once of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you—"

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and there was another gasp. After that, there was a long silence.

"What happened?" Leigh Ann asked, peering at the door.

Fleur instantly snapped, "_SHH!"_ and Leigh gave her a disgusted look.

They listened to the quiet, until finally Dumbledore muttered, "Harry Potter."

**Leigh Ann Nelson**  
Well, that was a sucker-punch to the gut.**  
**

The poor boy had then walked in, his striking green eyes meeting mine. I knew then that he hadn't put his name in, and someone _else_ had. With the fear, the confusion in those eyes, he couldn't have done it. No way.

Harry was lanky, with little meat on his bones, and a thick head of black hair. Handsome, too, but too young for me. It was hard to believe that he was this big legend that we'd all grown up with. You expected him to almost have a god-like glow around him, an aura, and be a 20-foot giant, towering over everyone.

But no. He was an average teenage boy. It was strange how things turned out sometimes.

The General looked grim suddenly, and I tried, very subtly, to perfect my stance. "I did not allow my older students to compete, leaving them out so that the same age groups could work together. And now I find that I could have brought along the younger ones as well?"

I turned and tried to reason with him. Obviously he didn't understand that Harry _didn't put his __name in._ "Sir, if I may speak—"

"You may _not_, Second Lieutenant." His eyes were hard, distant.

I took a deep breath, turning my head away. It wasn't everyday that I got reprimanded, especially by the General. He was definitely in a bad mood, what with this bad news. _He _had opted—not the Triwizard Council—to not bring our older students, because they would have been more experienced. I understood where he was coming from, but still, Harry hadn't done it!

And listening to the adults argue really made me just want to yell at them all. Really, weren't they teachers? Didn't they have any common sense? There was an age line put there for a reason, and by a very powerful wizard!

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," the half-giant, Madame Maxime, said, her feathers ruffled literally, as her shirt was made of feathers.

Dumbledore was polite about it, though I was furious. "It is possible, of course."

The General made a sound in his throat that sounded incredulous. "Dumbledore, I have full trust in you and your Age Line. This young boy could _not_ have crossed the line himself."

McGonagall looked slightly flattered at this. It was then that I wondered—did the General have someone at home? He was suddenly puffing out his chest like a male peacock! _Merlin's beard!_

I shook my head and tried to listen to the adults, while also trying to block out the argument. If any of them were the most at fault, it was Karkaroff. And it was really making me angry. I took my time to see who I was competing against, instead of listening, like I should have.

Cedric, he was tall, Quidditch-toned, and handsome. What, with that charming smile, the mussed brown hair, and those light brown eyes, who wouldn't fall for him? Me. Because I still kept looking over to that infuriating man, Viktor Krum.

Yeah, he was still handsome. And his eyes, Merlin, I would never get over those eyes! Inside, I told myself that it didn't matter if he was a Quidditch player. But my head kept screaming for me to just run in the other direction, covering my tail with Fiendfyre.

And why? I wasn't exactly sure. It was just that every time I met someone from a Quidditch team—or a football team—whom I just kind of sort of liked, they turned out to be the biggest asses I'd ever met! Oh, sure, they were all smiles and sweet words at first, but in the end, they just turned their head at the prettiest girl in the room.

Whom, I might add, I'd hated since I first laid eyes on her. She was just like all other girls her type—beautiful, and knew it, with things for strong, handsome men to drape over their arms, and horrible personalities.

I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts when loud _THUD_s happened in rapid succession. There was another man in the room besides the champions and the Headmasters and the judges; this man was short, with long, shaggy grey hair and the meanest looking fake-eye I'd ever seen. He instantly started arguing, and, even though he sounded like a crazy, he was actually sounding the least-crazy of all of them.

"Well I agree with Professor Moody," the General said, and everyone looked at him as if they hadn't even noticed him. "Good to see you again, Alastor."

"Harrington. I didn't think I would see you here, of all places," the man said, both eyes—real or not—settled on him. "Your Champion?"

He gestured to me. "Leigh Ann Nelson." I waved half-heartedly, wondering if my smile looked like a grimace. I always hated arguments, whether they were settling disputes or not.

The man nodded, then turned back to the others. "As I was saying…if anyone's got a right reason to complain, it's Potter. But, hear this, it's a funny thing…I don't hear _him_ saying a word."

"Why should 'e complain?" Fleur asked snootily, stamping her foot like a child. "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! Eet ees the _Triwizard Tournament_!" She sent a glare my way. "One school should noot even _be _here."

I got read to pounce on her, but the General put a hand on my shoulder, and I stayed back. Though I did start thinking nasty things her way. _Too bad you're not psychic, old girl…_

The rest of the argument ended swiftly, it being full of crazy accusations against either Moody or Karkaroff. Dumbledore ended it with a tone I'd never heard before, and I was hoping that I'd never have to hear it again, especially if it was used on me. He decided that it was time for the judges to give us our instructions.

The First Task is designed to test your daring. So we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard…very important…

"The First Task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges, including General Harrington, Madame Maxime, Professor Dumbledore and Karkaroff, Ludo Bagman, and myself, Barty Crouch. The Champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the Tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the Second Task when the First is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

_Also explaining why there was no Hell Week._

Deciding that that was that, Dumbledore decided to ask everyone who was old enough for a drink before bed; at least that was what I _thought_ a nightcap was. I'd learn all of those English terms eventually. Mr. Crouch turned it down, though.

Dumbledore turned to the Headmasters, asking, "Harrington? Karkaroff? Madame Maxime? A nightcap?"

But Madame Maxime had already taken Fleur and led her out into the hall, talking in rapid French. I only caught parts of it, seeing as how I had taken classes when I was younger, but they were talking so fast that I couldn't understand a single word. Karkaroff had beckoned to Viktor, and they walked off silently. Though not before Viktor purposely left his coat on the back of his chair.

_Grr…_

"Well, _I_ would love a drink, Albus," the General said with a jolly laugh. "Moody? Would you like to join?"

"Can't. Gotta get back to work."

"Of course, of course…I'd ask you, Leigh Ann, but you're still too young to drink. Too bad. I'll have your brother wait outside to walk you back to the barracks. Don't stay up too late celebrating!" He winked at me. "Inspection at six."

I nodded seriously—was the General giving me that tidbit so none of the Army would get into trouble? Well, at least he was in a better mood.

"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

The two then left, leaving Harry, Cedric and I alone.

"I'll catch up to you, Cedric," Harry said when he saw that I wanted to say something, and that the older boy was waiting for him. Cedric just shrugged and left. "So?"

"I know you didn't do it. And if anyone harasses you, you can always talk to me. Because a _lot_ of people won't believe you. I'll make sure that the entire Academy is on your side, alright?"

He smiled. "Thanks, Leigh. I thought that it might have been alright to be in the Tournament, but now that I actually am…I'm not so sure I like it."

I smirked. "Understandable." Right at that moment, little tiny insects were swarming around my stomach, and I felt like I was going to be sick. "Well…my brother is waiting for me. I guess I should get going. You ought to, too. I'm sure there's one heck of a party going on up in Gryffindor tower. Go, have fun!"

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "You look a little…green."

_Well, like I've said before, nervousness doesn't suit me. _So I lied. After all, I would never admit to anyone that I was nervous. "Arguing makes me sick to my stomach. But…go on! I'll catch up to you later." The boy smiled at me, then turned around and slowly walked out, his head lowering the second he thought he was out of my sight.

Sighing, I quickly grabbed Viktor's cloak and turned and opened the door, to see my brother standing there. "Hey," he said softly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "How you holdin' up?"

"I'm about to puke all over your shoes," I mumbled, leaning into his shoulder. I folded the cloak under my arm and held it there.

He rubbed my back protectively, the beat of his heart soothing me. "It'll be okay, kid. I mean, you wanted to get in, right?"

"You kidding' me? I was ready to die on the spot when I heard my name called! I just didn't because it would have looked unprofessional. I mean, I still need to message Dad and Mom and tell them exactly what happened." Just the thought of what Mom would say made me smile. And Dad, even though he didn't know a single thing about the Triwizard Tournament, would still be happy for me.

"Well then relax, and come enjoy some beer with the rest of us as we celebrate!" I gave him a look. "Oh, I know that you don't like beer, but hey, grab a wine cooler, and you can't drink yet anyways!"

_Like that stops us_, was the thought in my head. "Neither can you!" I cried, punching him in the shoulder. I knew that there would be better things than beer at the party anyways.

"Two months, come on!"

I rolled my eyes and allowed him to take me back to the barracks. AC/DC was blasting from speakers that someone had gotten somewhere, and I knew that the other Branches were there, too, because someone was singing horrible karaoke and it was usually the Marines or Air Force that did that.

"You go on ahead," I said to him, stopping in my tracks. "I'll be in in a moment."

He turned around and put his hands on my shoulders. "You know you can talk to me, Anna."

"I know. But right now, I think I just want to be alone and write Mom and Dad letters. You know, I just thought about it, but…we're closer to Dad now than to Mom."

He smirked. "You're pretty slow sometimes, kid." Jason leaned forwards and kissed my forehead, hugging me to him. He was much taller than me, so my head was under his chin. "But I still love you."

"Love you too."

"See you in a minute?"

"Or so, yeah."

Jason gave me one last look before he turned around and went inside. The door opened, and I saw hundreds of bodies pushed together, dancing. I just shook my head and took a walk to the docks, ready to write my letters.

_Hey, Mom…_

* * *

**So, whaddya think?**


	6. The Cloak

**I personally love fluff. This might be a little more than fluff, though(: Reviews are loved to tell me how much you love fluff!**

* * *

**The Cloak**

Time moved quickly yet slowly, tiring yet _exhausting_. I saw Harry on the grounds, poor guy, being tormented by his fellow schoolmates for being chosen. I knew that he had been forced into the tournament, but it didn't matter what I thought, because everyone believed what they wanted to believe.

It seemed that everywhere I went, there was Durmstrang, their little delegation much like a Neanderthal family. Viktor was always surrounded by his friends, looking as if he were saying something smug in Bulgarian. If he wasn't surrounded by his friends, he was surrounded instead by girls. Girls, girls, girls, and even a few boys. It made me sick.

Once, when I had been reading on the riverbank with Hermione, the boys on either side of us, still not talking, he had been exercising. His knee lifts were superb, I had to say, but exercising in a public place was just for attention. And when the girls followed after him, I knew that my suspicions were correct.

Another day he'd been bathing in the lake. Ron had made the comment that he'd hoped the giant octopus would eat him. I had just hoped that we didn't have to get close up for studying Grindylows that day.

And then, I saw him in the library almost every day that I went in there to study. I had a Charms essay due, and I was hastily writing in my notebook with a pen. (Hermione and Harry had had a freak out when I told them we didn't use quills and parchment.) He was in there, pretending to read, just so that he could be in a public place.

I was really starting to get annoyed with him, but…

For me, it seemed that nothing could go wrong. I was being talked to by the cutest guys from the Air Force and Navy, and classes were like nothing. Mother was ecstatic that I had become a Champion, saying that if she could be there with me, she would be.

I hadn't gotten a letter back from Dad yet, even though I'd sent him four. It was bothering me just a little bit.

That, and the Marines were the only things getting me down. I couldn't get away from the assholes! No matter what I did, they wouldn't stop harassing me. Two weeks after becoming Champion, it got to be too much. I had been walking up to the castle, to talk to the stringy-haired man from days before—Professor Snape. He was the Potions Master, and I needed some gillyweed from him for a Transfiguration potion.

"Williams, one more word from you and I won't hesitate to turn you in!" I shouted at him, straightening the white shirt of my BDU. It was the same as the ADU, but without the jacket, and a white blouse was tucked into the skirt. "I'm an _Officer_!"

"_Ooh-hoo_!" he said in a feminine voice, mimicking me. "'_I'm an Officer!'_ I'm so scared, Nelson."

_Where are all of the Officers when you need them?_

"You forget, that I'm a year ahead of you, _Leigh Ann_," he said, he and his cronies circling in on me. His hand brushed up against my arm, and I shivered from disgust. "You like that, don't you baby…"

"No, I _do not_, Jonathan. Now tell your buddies to get away from me before I do something drastic." I smirked, hoping that it fooled them. But I was scared as all get-out. "Remember, _I_ can get away with things. You can't."

He grasped my arm, and that was when I went into self-defense mode.

Viktor had been walking along the grass when he had heard her voice—he hadn't heard it in at least a week, being so busy. Every night the men had made a party in his room, and he hadn't been able to sleep. Training was rigorous, and studies were slacked off, but even still, he had a two foot essay to write by tomorrow morning. Not to mention the girls that wouldn't quit stalking him…

"…I'm an _Officer_!" She sounded angry, and he hurried over the hill to see her brown hair in a bun, without a beret, and wearing a simple white blouse instead of the jacket. She was completely surrounded by a group of men he knew to be from the Marine Branch—he knew because he sat by them everyday, when he shouldn't have.

"You forget that I'm a year ahead of you, _Leigh Ann_." He then touched her arm, and Viktor could see the look of disgust on her face. "You like that, don't you baby…"

"No, I _do not_, Jonathan. Now tell your buddies to get away from me before I do something drastic. Remember, _I_ can get away with things. You can't."

A look of fury came over the man's face, and he grabbed her arm.

Viktor's vision went red, and he raced down the hill. He grabbed a Marine by the hair, throwing him backwards, barging through the circle. Another man had a few fingers broken as Viktor stopped his punch, and yet another was thrown yards away. He was ready to kill whoever Jonathan was, ready to strangle him until his eyes bugged out of his—!

But when he got there, he could see that Leigh Ann already had her knee in the bastard's back, one of his arms wrapped behind his chest. Her other arm was wrapped around his neck, holding his other wrist in that hand.

He stopped, taking short deep breaths as he watched her holding him, her plump bottom up in the air, her skirt showing beautiful calves. She was straddling his waist, holding him into the dirt.

"If you _ever_ touch me again, I will personally put you into the hospital wing," she growled into his ear, tightening her hold on his arm when he didn't respond. "Do you understand?"

"I-I understand," he growled, and she pushed up off of him, making sure to use her foot on his back to steady herself. Jonathan then quickly scrambled up off of the ground. When the other men made moves on her, she clenched up her fist and threatened them with her glare.

And when that didn't work, he stepped in front of her, crossing his arms across his chest. They now looked a little intimidated, shrinking back.

"Wasn't no fun, anyhow…" one of them said bitterly, starting to walk away. "Come on, guys. Lets go somewhere else." And then they walked away.

Viktor was feeling very good about himself until he felt her hands shove against his back, and he stumbled slightly. "What did you do that for?"

"Vhat?" he asked, turning around to look at her, his eyes narrowed in confusion. He had to noticed that whenever she was angry, her forehead crinkled and her nose suddenly scrunched up. There were even a few strands of hair fallen from her bun. It was kind of cute, in a way.

She bent down to pick up her wand, bitterly brushing off her uniform. "I could have handled it myself. Now, what, you're going to stalk me and be my bodyguard all the time? I have enough problems with Jason doing that, I don't need your help, too!" She then turned on her heel, summoned the books that she had been carrying, and started walking up the hill towards the school.

He had no idea why he felt the need to go after her. Women never rejected him—it just didn't happen. So when he cried, "Leahn!" and ran to catch up to her, he'd never felt so confused. And something else inside of him was wondering, _Are she and this "Jason" man having problems? _As if he was going to keep up this chase! "Please, vait." His hand gently landed on her arm, and she shrugged him off.

"Don't _touch_ me," she growled, turning around, looking like she was about to yell at him, but he pleaded with her with his eyes. It looked like all of the hot air instantly went out of her, and she sighed, rubbing her face with one hand. A little bit of mud was smudged on her cheek, making him want to cup her face in his hands and gently wipe it off with his thumb. "I…I'm sorry," she sighed, making him pop out of his daydream. "It's just, I mean, I haven't heard from someone close to me in a long while, and I'm startin' to get worried. I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this mornin'. I…I didn't mean to take it out on you."

He wanted so bad to reach out and cup her cheek, but knew better than to do so. "Leahn…I vanted to ask…" Ack, he never got speechless near a girl! Why was it so hard just to drag this girl back to his room and bed her? "Vhat did I do to make you so oopseet vith me?"

Leigh Ann sighed and put a hand to her temple. He noticed that the skin around her eyes was slightly red and puffy. "It's just…I was a little hurt to see that you were Viktor Krum."

_Upset_? Girls were ecstatic to know that he was Viktor Krum! "_Vhat_—?"

"I know, I know, it's a stupid reason to get angry with someone for." She narrowed her hazel eyes, which were more green at the moment than brown, and looked away from him. "But, I told you that I loved Quidditch, and gave you a few tidbits about myself, and yet you couldn't tell me that you were _Viktor Krum_?"

He had no idea what to say. But when she started biting her thick lower lip, all he wanted to do was throw him over his shoulder and take her back to his room. His hand automatically reached out to touch her as he said, "I…am sorry." Unfortunately, it must have sounded like a question.

She pulled away, hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry, too, _Krum_." She said his last name with ice in her voice. "Come by the barracks tomorrow or the next day to get your cloak. We're both Champions, we can't be seen talking. Besides…" Her eyes instantly went hard, and she clutched her books tighter to her chest, "we wouldn't want Viktor Krum to look bad without his cloak in the pictures coming up."

Then she turned and stormed away, leaving Viktor alone with his thoughts.

It was two days before I saw Viktor again, and it was on an endurance run. I, of course, was covered in sweat, loving the feel of the cool breeze off of the lake, and glad that we were wearing our PT uniforms instead of the battle uniform like we had yesterday.

Running was actually okay when I could get my chest strapped down and keep my hip from hurting. I was third out of seven, which was pretty good for me, and I figured that because I only had a mile left, I would be done in time to write the sixth letter to my father that still hadn't been answered.

_Don't worry, sweetie…I'm sure your father is either busy, or it could be that someone is intercepting the mail. You never know. But I do know that he's alright. Just keep your head up and alert for any kind of desert bird, and maybe he'll get back to us soon._

Yeah, because "soon" was considered three weeks without him writing back. Sighing, then taking a deep breath, I trudged on, turning a corner, and—BAM! I ran into a solid brick wall. At least, that was what it felt like.

I looked up from the ground to see a blurry figure crouching in front of me. "Are you alright?" a voice asked, heavily rolling some 'R's'.

Of course I knew who it was, even before my vision cleared again. I wanted to fall back to the ground. "Oh, go _away_!" I cried in agony, ignoring his hand of help, standing up, and dusting myself off. "I'm almost done, just _go_!"

"I vanted—"

"Come back later, Krum. I need to finish my run."

He instantly grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him. Well…more like _against_ him, and I momentarily lost my breath as I felt the hardness of his long, tough body. His entire body was muscle, there couldn't have been an ounce of fat on him at all. _He…he dwarfs me…no one does that…_ His smell was heavenly, all of those Quidditch smells, and snow… _I love the smell of snow… _My fingers splayed out against his perfect chest, and I momentarily wished that I could see it bare.

_Whoa, whoaaaaaaaa slow down!_ I tried to push away, but his arms were still around me, holding me to his defined abdomen. "K-Krum, let me go. The other girls are coming."

He was silent as he let me go, his thick arms slowly unwinding from me. His face was hard and unreadable, the same as his dark eyes. I was sure that the glare he was giving me had cowed many-a-woman—and man. But I wasn't going to bow down.

"I-if you want to get your cloak, either run with me, or wait for me at the barracks," I said softly, putting my hands on my hips so that I could breath easier. I looked back and saw Mary Louis run by, her blonde hair up in a ponytail. "Keep it up, Mary."

"Lisa will bite your head off if you don't get back to the barracks before Allison behind me. You've got about a minute." She said this breathlessly, not even turning her head to talk as she jogged on by.

I looked back to Viktor after she disappeared around the bend. "Your choice."

Silently, Viktor reached to the waistline of his pants and pulled his shirt upwards, tugging it off. I made a sound that sounded like an _EEP!_ and turned around, feeling my entire face burning, even my ears. "I-I d-d-didn't tell you t-to t-take off y-your shirt!" I growled, covering my eyes with my hands. _You got what you wished for, ole girl. Now wish for a million dollars, yeah?_

"You said to either run, or meet you at the _bareeks._ I vill run, and not vith a shirt." His face was hard when I turned back around, and I hid my face from his chest. "Vell?"

"F-fine." _Hmm…your fine._ "Whatever." _I'll do whatever you want!_ No, no, I wouldn't…I couldn't… But his body was just so beautiful as he wrapped the shirt around his waist… I itched to reach up and trace each and every indent, to run my fingers against his chest hair, to see if it was as coarse or soft. I wanted to explore his entire body with my hands, and then kiss him.

_DOWN, GIRL! REIGN IN THOSE HORMONES!_

I shook my head to concentrate. "Just…keep up."

I then turned away from him and kicked up my feet, ignoring the pain in my hip from having stopped running. But I tried to keep them straight and not roll them like I normally did, and made sure my arms didn't cross. It hurt a little to start running again after abruptly stopping.

Viktor kept pace beside me, running slower but having longer legs so he could easily keep up. I put on a little more speed, and he kept up with me entirely. I put it into a relatively fast run, seeing Mary ahead of us.

I ran faster. _Half a mile to go_. We passed Mary, our footsteps ringing as we raced one another. _Faster…a quarter mile to go_. My breath was coming in heaves, my heart pounding so fast that I swore it would burst out of my chest.

Finally, we both flew across the "finish line", tripping and falling to the ground from our momentum. My head hit the dirt, my back screaming in agony. My hip was partially in the air, throbbing, my legs and chest being pinned down; the weight of the world was weighing down on me.

"Ohh…" I groaned, rubbing my one free hand over my face. "Knew I shouldn't have done that…"

Whatever was on top of me groaned as well, moving subtly, and placing a very large hand on my hip, running around to land on my butt.

My eyes flew open to see the sky, a large, bare shoulder protruding into the bottom of my vision. I felt a large, warm, sweating chest against my entire body, strong legs pinning mine to the ground. His breath ran down my neck, his forehead on the ground beside my head. The hand on my butt was molding, as if trying to decide whether or not to get up, and it was very uncomfortable. Not a bad feeling, though.

"Krum…" I gasped, having used up all of my breath for my last sentence. His hand squeezed again, but I couldn't take a breath, so I didn't have a reaction besides my insides getting warmer and my eyes widening. "Can't…breathe…."

The man groaned and turned over, lying on his back, one thick arm over his face.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay, Leigh?" came Mary's voice, leaning over me with her pretty blue eyes, her peach skin looking darker than it really was as she blocked the sun from my view. "That was one heck of a fall…I winced when I saw it, and I wasn't even the one who fell! Who's…?" She raised her eyebrow at the shirtless man. "Racing, huh? You know better. Remember Kenny?"

"Shu…shut up," I breathed, moving to sit up. My entire body ached. _Oooh yeah, I'm remembering Kenny…_

"Should I get the ice bath ready?" she asked, her face concerned. Mary was in the bunk next to mine, on the bottom, like me, so she knew things about me that few others knew, like the fact that every run killed my hip, which in turn killed me.

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Here, let me help you up…" She wrapped her arm around my back, slowly picking me up. Instantly tight, roaring pains ripped through my right side. It was so tight that I feared it would never release, and I felt tears coming to my eyes. "It's okay, Leigh, breathe, breathe, I'll get you to Jason…"

"No, take me to the ice bath, and my wand."

Viktor moved on the ground, rolling over to get up. _He had the wind knocked out of him_, I thought through the pain. He stood on his feet and made his way over to me, putting an arm on the other side of me. "Deed I hurt you?" he asked, his eyes frantic with a strange flash of light across the brown, his brow furrowed.

"No…" I gasped, trying to keep the tears out of my eyes. I couldn't say anymore after that, because it hurt so much. I tried to black out, but it didn't work.

"Sit out here until I see to her," the girl named Mary told him, taking Leigh's weight all on her own. She jerked her head towards a bunk that had many letters sitting on it. "That's her bunk, sit there."

Leigh was almost in tears when Viktor lost sight of her, the door closing behind the two girls. He looked around, pulling his shirt on, to do something other than worry if he had hurt her.

The barracks were strange metal contraptions that were half circular in shape. On the inside, there was a wooden floor, with maybe twenty bunk-beds, covered in plain green comforters. It was warm, probably magically heated, and very plain.

He sat down on her bed, picking up a small picture that was just sitting there. It had caught his eye. Standing up tall, a proud young Leigh Ann was waving to the camera, dressed in what looked like the clothes she had just been wearing, but smaller. She was still tall, but with a thinner structure and an even tanner complexion, her hair a dark chestnut. She had a gap-toothed smile, looking uncomfortable and not grown into her own skin, but proud nonetheless.

On one side of her stood a tall, thin teenage boy with the same hair but darker and shorter, the same complexion, but bright blue eyes.

Viktor wanted to crush the picture. _How long have they known each other…?_

He did have to say, though, that the look she had given his bare chest was something. It meant that she was attracted to him, right? That gave him a little bit of a head start on this man, right?

Suddenly the door in the back came open, and Viktor quickly sat the picture down, standing up. "Is she alright?"

"Well, you didn't crush her," the girl said dryly, before blushing and looking away. "She can only stay in there for ten minutes. Keep the time and knock on the door if she stays in there a minute longer." Mary looked around, then blushed again, moving towards the door. "I'm going to go now. I'll tell Lisa where she is, so make sure Leigh doesn't flip out." And, with one look backwards, Mary stepped out into the cold November air and then closed the door.

Viktor looked at his watch, seeing that it was 5:30—in ten minutes, he would make sure she got out. But until then, he wanted to see the other pictures on her bed.

He walked over to the too-neat bunk, picking up another picture. This time, it was a family one. A short, curvy blonde woman was standing next to a military man who was trying to hide a smile—in their arms was a newborn baby with a small tuft of black hair.

Sitting beneath them was the blue-eyed boy again, though the age he was now, and standing beneath them was a beautiful girl who looked a lot like Leigh, but blonde and much younger, with strange olive-green eyes and a sly smirk. She had a snobby appearance, with more high of cheekbones and less full cheeks.

_5:33_.

Underneath that was a picture of Leigh, her eyes shining as she stood in front of a stove, an apron on her front that said "_Kiss the Chef!"_ She was holding a spatula up in the air, along with a platter of some kind of dessert. This was a more recent picture, and she was giving the platter to a pair of small hands that appeared, smiling like a mother would a child.

And then, behind that, was Leigh holding a clipboard, shouting commands to the seven players on what looked to be the Army team. He noticed that the blue-eyed boy was on it, as well as the girl—Mary, he thought—who both looked like Chasers. At the end of the reel, Leigh had her hands on her hips, before catching a Quaffle in her hands expertly and pointing towards the locker rooms irately, then it started over again.

_5:39_.

Viktor got up, putting the pictures down, and walked over to the door. He knocked. "Leahn," he said through the door, though he got no response. "Leahn?"

After asking once more, he was getting worried. He instantly opened the door, to see her standing against a cabinet, her soaking wet clothes clinging to her curvy body, near a metal tub full of ice. "G-g-g-g-o away," she stuttered, shivering. "_Episky_…" she muttered, waving a long, light brown wand towards her hip. "_Damn…_"

"I vill help," he said, bending down next to her, pulling down the side of her shorts, to be able to touch the damaged hip with his wand.

"HEY!" she shouted, shoving him away. "What the—? Who do you think you are?"

He held up his wand, saying, "I vas…" Then he realized what he had been doing, and felt his entire face heat up. _I was only trying to __undress__ her._ "Soory." Not that it wasn't an enticing thought, but, obviously, it was well misplaced.

"Just…leave me _alone_," she sobbed, leaning her head against the metal cabinet.

He couldn't bear to see her like this—but Merlin, he barely knew her, and these feelings! He decided that it had to be the fact that she'd rejected him—and multiple times. He just wouldn't let himself go without finding where he went wrong in this move.

So, Viktor just stood up, grabbed a towel, and scooped her up in his arms before she could protest.

"Augh, Krum, put me DOWN!" she yelled, beating her fists against his chest. "Let me _go!"_

He laid her down on the bed, whispering a spell to dry her off. "You can roon very vell," he said, quickly covering her up before she could get up.

"Yeah, well so can you," she said bitterly, turning her back on him. "Now…just take your cloak and go. We have some kind of photo shoot the day after tomorrow. Wouldn't want you to not look your best, would we?"

"Leahn, vhat—?"

"Just _go_! I don't want to talk to you right now." She reached down next to her bed and instantly threw his fur cloak into his face. "Take it and get out of my sight."

* * *

**Dun-dun-dun-DUNNN. Leigh Ann isn't very happy with poor Viktor, is she? Too bad she's very, **_**very**_** into him. Or at least his chest. What will happen next?**


	7. The Weighing of the Wands

**Myth: Leigh Ann is a caffeine addict.**

**Fact: Leigh Ann isn't the partying type. She's kind of a prude when it comes to many things and is considered a party-pooper by quite a few of her friends. She's more of the designated driver instead of the party animal. Poor girl.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I would be very rich. And that would be very nice.**

* * *

**The Weighing of the Wands**

It was too early when the bugle sounded its normal morning call. My head was heavy, my hair a mess, my lips puffy from breathing through my mouth all night. With the nausea, I thought that someone had spiked the punch at the "Oh, Another Chance to Party, Party" for me going to "The Weighing of the Wands."

Again, someone definitely spiked the punch. _It wouldn't be the first time._

I looked around to make sure that I was in my own bed, and when I was, I stood up and went to check my hair, and, seeing that it was completely unmanageable, went to take a shower.

It woke me up perfectly—a cold shower. If I had liked coffee, I would have drunk it, but I hated the stuff, and more alcohol would have made it worse.

I noticed that my eyes were bloodshot, and I knew that _that_ wouldn't be a good thing to have in a picture, so I used a spell to clear my eyes, and a spell that instantly dried my hair. I pulled a piece of it into a braid, then put the rest of the thick auburn hair into a bun, wrapping the braid around it.

I brushed my teeth, put on a little bit of eyeliner, mascara, and blush, and plucked a few hairs from my eyebrows that had grown in in the last few days. The only jewelry I wore was the small silver promise ring on my left hand and my Army class ring on my right hand, so I slid them both on. I knew that my legs were shaved, I didn't have any unwanted facial hair, and my face was clear of pimples, so I dressed in my Class A uniform again and quickly left the barracks.

The General had given me special orders that, as long as I ate healthily, I could stop training and focus on the Tournament and my studies. I knew that I would love to do that, but because I did have such a problem with weight, it would completely kill the scale if I stopped exercising.

But missing morning practice was mandatory, as I had to go to something called "The Weighing of the Wands." Whatever that was.

I passed many people in the hallways, noticing large badges on their chests.

SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY

THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION

I instantly wanted to slap the little blonde Slytherin who was wearing it across the face. But then again, I was supposed to be showing respect for my school…was hitting a Slytherin being good? Probably not.

But then, as I watched the pins go by, they suddenly changed:

POTTER STINKS

_Very mature,_ I thought, hoping to find Harry somewhere in the halls and tell him that those people were obviously idiots if they came up with the slogan "Potter Stinks."

I quickly made my way up to the classroom where Lisa had said the "photo-shoot" would be. It was small, with most of the desks put to the back. Though some of them were in front of the blackboard, with six seats behind them.

I was the first Champion in the room, but Ludo Bagman was in there, along with a blonde witch that I recognized as a Daily Prophet reporter in magenta robes.

Clearing my voice felt wrong, so I stepped up to the table where they were sitting. "Excuse me, sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but—"

"My dear, Rene?" Bagman demanded, his eyes bulging as he stood up. "I haven't seen you in years, what happened to your hair, it's—"

"Sir!" I exclaimed, holding up my hands in front of me. He was flushed and excited, while I just felt freaked out and confused. "Rene is my mother. My name is Leigh Ann, the American Academy Champion."

A large smile lit up on his face, and he bound forwards, taking my hand in his and shaking my arm so much that I thought it would fall off. "Well met, well met, Leigh Ann! You look so much like your mother, it's _unbelievable_!"

"Why, hello," the reporter who had been standing there said, eyeing me up and down while sucking on the end of a quill. "I don't believe we've met. Rita Skeeter, reporter." She gave me the creeps, from her tacky jeweled glasses, to the alligator handbag, the two-inch long red nails, and the seventy's blonde curl, but I didn't say anything.

"Second Lieutenant Leigh Anna Marie Nelson." I held out my hand and shook hers. Her hand was cold and clammy, her fingers very long, and very bony.

"And you said that your mother was _Rene_…?"

I felt a dread coming over me, and it wasn't from her clammy fingers. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Please, call me Rita," she said, picking my chin up with one red fingernail. I felt the need to frown, but it seemed wrong in the instance. I wasn't used to being poked and prodded, like she was doing at that moment. "As in Rene Nelson, _nee_ Reynolds, the Quidditch star?"

I blushed and nodded, pulling my chin away from her. "Y-yes." _No!_ I wanted to shout, but I knew that it wouldn't keep her from digging anything up.

"Well, well…you do have your mother's looks…" She walked around me, trailing one bony hand along my shoulders, "...though I don't believe that she weighted anything what you do."

I instantly flushed from my head to my toes, wanting to rip her eyes out. I followed her snarky green eyes with my own narrowed ones. "No, she didn't, _Ma'am._"

"It's _Rita_, dear," she said, a slight bit sharper than before.

"I'm sorry, its just that I've been taught to treat my elders with respect," I said coolly, quickly turning my gaze from her enraged face to Ludo. _Score one for Leigh Ann._ "So, what is a wand weighin' ceremony?"

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, squeezing me. "Well, my dear friend's daughter, we, the judges, will take your wands and make sure that nothing is wrong with them. They're the most important tool you have in the upcoming tasks!"

"Do you want me to sit, or leave for a little bit until the other Champions arrive?" I asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable under his big arm. "I mean, I can leave faster than a jack rabbit in spring, it's no problem—"

"No, no, nonsense," he said, pulling up a chair in front of his desk and sitting me in it before sitting across from me. "I want to hear more about your mother. Tell me, has she played Quidditch since she had your little sister?"

At that moment, I heard the door open, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Viktor walking in. Rita instantly jumped on him like a hawk, but he was only half-answering her questions, looking at me instead.

"Leigh, old girl, are you alright?" Ludo asked, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah…uh, no, Sir, she hasn't played."

"I remember when Rene had figured out she was pregnant with Jason…and yet she still wouldn't get off of the broom! She played the 1973 World Cup at eight months pregnant! She was cracking! Best Chaser we've ever had…your Muggle father was having kittens, thinking she would fall! So her married name is Nelson now, eh? Surprised she didn't keep Reynolds."

I blushed, seeing the look from Viktor. He looked very confused and intrigued. "Your mother is the _eenveentor_ of the Reynold's Ricochet?" he asked, pushing past Rita. I'd forgotten how dark his eyes were, and how penetrating. It was hard to talk to him.

But I managed. "Yes, Mr. Krum," I said stiffly, making sure my beret was straight on my head. I looked back to see that Fleur and Cedric had just walked in, along with a scraggly man who held a smoking camera. "My mother is Rene Reynolds. I don't flaunt it around, though."

"Vhy not?" Viktor asked, while Rita had a quill out by her side with some paper. "She is flaunt-vorthy!"

I raised my eyebrows at him first, then Rita. _Flaunt-worthy? _ "It's personal," I said to him softly, then turned to her and said, "Sorry, you'll have to trash somebody else's reputation, not mine. And if you say anythin' I haven't said, then I'll sue the Daily Prophet. I don't believe your bosses would like that."

She blushed scarlet. "Well then, I see how you will be! But don't worry, Miss Nelson, I _will_ get a story out of you." She then quickly walked away, and Harry came in—I felt bad for him, because he was Rita's next victim.

"Blimey, is your mother really Rene Reynolds?" Cedric asked, suddenly upstaging Viktor. I was glad for the respite. "I used to re-watch old matches of hers! My dad even has her picture and autograph! Now that I think about it, you do look a little similar…"

I smiled at him, watching as Viktor went to the other side of the room, leaning broodingly against the wall. "I'm glad you like my mother."

"Do you play?" he asked, and Fleur looked a little angry at me. Oh, well, I didn't care, not after what she had said to me earlier. "_Some people shouldn't even be here" my right buttock! You weigh about as much as it, little missy. Oh, how I would love to shove a sandwich down your tiny little throat!_

"No," I said pointedly, and suddenly Dumbledore came in to offer me another respite. He started seating us, so that we could be brought forwards for the ceremony.

"Ah, Champions…Leigh Ann, you here…ah, yes, Miss Delacour, you here…Mr. Krum, Mr. Diggory, in the back, and Harry…" He paused, looking around. "Where is Harry?"

"I think Rita Skeeter attacked him," I said, looking to the closet where I was sure they were. "He's probably getting the third degree right now." Fleur and I were sitting in chairs, our legs crossed, while the men were standing behind us. Viktor, of course, was the one behind me, and heat was radiating off of him.

I'd never met a man who made me so uncomfortable and so interested at the same time. That was probably the reason I kept trying to get away from him! He was one of those guys that I could just let my guard down, and...

_Calm down, Leigh Ann. _I sighed and twisted my promise ring around my left hand. _Nothing's happened, and nothing is _going_ to happen._

I watched as Dumbledore quickly walked over to the door and opened it, and I knew that Rita had been caught red-handed. They talked for a moment, walking over soon after. Harry, looking glad to be away from Rita, hurried over. I patted the seat next to me, smiling to him.

"Oh, dear…" came Rita's voice, and I looked to see her at my side. "You look like a boy with your hair pulled up like that. Why don't we…?" She tore off my beret, undoing my bun, making my hair fall all the way down my back. The braid that had been wrapped around the bun practically slapped me in the face.

"Hey!" I snapped, snatching back my beret from her. "My hair will stay up, thank you very much!"

"Ma'am, Miss Skeeter," The General said politely, a cold glint in his ice blue eyes, "I do believe that the appearance of our Champions is up to them."

"Of course, of course…" When I started to put my hair back up, she slapped my hand away.

Seeing that I wouldn't be able to put it back up, I used a silent spell from my wand to add a little moisture and get rid of the frizz. The General didn't look happy, but I gave him an apologetic look and he nodded seriously, wordlessly telling me that it was alright just that once.

Because it was already wavy, no way becoming straight, I pulled a brush out of my pack and started bitterly pulling it through my thick hair, mumbling obscene things at her under my breath.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?" Dumbledore asked, taking his place at the Judge's Table next to Karkaroff, Maxime, Bagman, Crouch, and the General. A small, pale-eyed wizard was standing next to the window, and I hadn't noticed him before. But I did know who he was. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition for the tournament."

"Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first please?" he asked, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room. She got up and gracefully swept over to him, handing him her wand. "Hmm…"

He twirled it between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and bold sparks.

"Yes…nine and a half inches…inflexible…rosewood…and containing…dear me…"

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's."

_I knew it._

"Yes, yes, I've never used Veela hair myself, however, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands, however, to each his own, and if this suits you…" _Obviously it suits her. She's just as temperamental!_ He ran his fingers up and down it, searching for scratches or bumps; then he mumbled something and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip. "Very well, very well, it's in fine working order." He handed it back. "Mr. Diggory, up, up!"

Diggory smiled back to the Veela and gave his wand to the wandmaker.

"Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" He started talking about how fine the unicorn he'd gotten the hair for the core was. Something about goring him with its horn. "Twelve and a quarter inches…ash…pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition. You treat it regularly?"

"Polished it last night," Cedric said with a grin.

_So did I,_ I thought with my own grin, still brushing my hair.

"Mr. Krum, if you please," the old man said, and Viktor walked towards Mr. Ollivander with purpose, taking out his wand and thrusting it into the man's hand.

"Hmm…this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I…however…" He examined it minutely, turning it over in his hands. "Yes…hornbeam and dragon heartstring?" I nodded at that. It suited him. "Rather thicker than one usually sees….quite rigid…ten and a quarter inches…_Avis_!"

The wand let off a blast like a gun, but it didn't startle me like it did Fleur, who jumped half way out of her seat. All that came out, though, were a few twittering birds, which then flew out the window.

"Good. Now, you, Miss Nelson."

I stood up, throwing my thick curtain of hair behind my back. It landed almost on my butt, and I hated having it down. It made me feel like I was sweaty all over, dirty, even though it was clean. But I walked over to the man anyways, and his eyes flashed as he laid eyes on me, and on my wand. "My, my…you _do_ look like your mother…"

I flushed. _None of you have even seen my father, so you wouldn't know. _"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander."

"Now, lets see here…I know about your mother's wand, dear, but I don't remember your father…"

"Muggle, sir." Did Viktor's eyes widen? I made a point not to look.

"Ah. Alright, then, let's see… A left head fang of a Runespoor…difficult to come by, if I'm not mistaken? The left head is the planner…I do believe that your mother had the middle head, the dreamer…and your grandmother, the right head, the critic?"

I nodded, awestruck as he turned the light brown, particularly straight wand in his hands. _Only my family knows that…_ "How did you—?"

"Things like Runespoor fangs run through a family, and come in threes. Ah… fifteen inches, pliable _and_ swishy, excellent for transfiguration and complex spells… Made of holly! Excellent quality, I'm sad not to have made it for you."

"My grandmother made it," I said sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

"She did a very good job, dear. Now…" He said some kind of incantation that made a firework explode in the air. "Splendid, splendid!" He then gently sat it back down in my hands, patting my shoulder. "Tell your mother I said hello."

"I will, thank you, Sir," I said, turning and walking and sitting back in my seat. I held my wand in my hands gently, looking it over as if I had never seen it before. _A Runespoor fang…?_

"And, now, that leaves…" We all looked to Harry. "Mr. Potter." Harry got to his feet and walked past the judge's table, handing over his wand. Why was he nervous? It was just a wand weighing. "Aaaah yes. Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember…" he said, his eyes going wide, gleaming.

Ollivander spent much more time on Harry's wand, but eventually made it spout a fountain of wine, announcing that it was in perfect condition and handing it back to Harry.

"Thank you all," Dumbledore said, standing up. "You may all go back to your lessons now—or perhaps it would be quicker to just go down to dinner, as they are about to end—"

Harry instantly jumped up, ready to leave, but the man with the black, smoking camera shot out of his seat and cleared his throat.

"Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" Bagman cried excitedly. "All the judges and Champions, what do you think, Rita?"

"Err—yes, lets do those first," she said, her hawk eyes still upon Harry. "And then perhaps some individual shots."

The photographs took a long time. Madame Maxime was so tall that the photographer couldn't get her into the shot, or she cast a shadow on everyone else. Finally, she was sat down in a chair, everyone else standing around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to make it curlier. The photographer kept insisting that Fleur be in the front, me beside but behind her, but Rita kept pushing me back and bringing Harry to the front.

And then, I noticed that Viktor was standing in the back of the group, scowling. _Why isn't he chumming it up? He's the Quidditch star, he knows how to do a photo shoot!_

_Right?_

Rita wanted individual photos of each Champion, and I put my hair up for that one. "Well," Rita said scathingly, "if you _want_ to look square-jawed, I guess I can't help you…"

_Look who's talking!_ I shouted in my head, looking to the General for guidance. He looked just as insulted as I did, and it didn't help me. Smile, no smile? He didn't have anything to mouth to me. _I would love to shove a sandwich down your throat too, Rita, but Fleur is worse!_

I decided with a gentle lip-only smile, sent just to my Dad. I hoped that, wherever he was, maybe he could see a copy… _He's a muggle, you idiot. Unless someone magical is in his battalion, you're out of luck._

Sighing, I picked up my books, but also hearing a conversation between Rita and Viktor as I was walking out the door.

"…I do not vish to take the _eenterview."_

"Vhy—" Rita cleared her throat. "Why not? You are Viktor Krum, Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team who just caught the Snitch at the World Cup! Tell me, how are you feeling about that?"

"Right now, I vish to be Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang student and Champion. Nothing more. Now, if you do not mind, I need to get to _deener."_ He turned, then, his face set in a scowl, and walked past me.

I instantly felt like a big wad of crap for the way I had treated him. At least, that's what I told myself as I followed behind him like one of the females who normally stalked the man. It wasn't because he smelled good, or the fact that his face had seemed very upset. Nope. I was just being a good, Christian woman.

"V…Krum," I said, taking four long strides to catch up to him. For some reason, I couldn't find my voice. Finally, I did. "D-did you…mean what you said back there?"

His dark brown eyes caught in mine, and I forgot to speak for a moment. "_Da_." He kept walking, I trying to keep up with his long, angry strides. He looked away. "How is your hip?"

It took me a second to comprehend the change of subject. "Uh…it's fine, I guess. No better than it usually is."

"I _apoologeeze_ for hurting you vhen ve ran." He said it with such sincerity that I couldn't help but believe him. That, and I couldn't help but melt into those big, chocolate eyes.

"You didn't hurt me," I said softly, looking away before I made a fool of myself and did something I shouldn't have.

"But…"

"I know, we were running. But I could have been running like that with anybody and my hip still would have hurt. Even if you _did_ fall on me." We walked for a moment longer, but then I put my hand on his arm and stopped us both in the middle of the deserted hallway. "If…I tell you something, will you promise not to use it against me?"

"I vould not," he said, sounding a little insulted.

I blushed deeply at the look he gave me—then again, he could have looked at me any way past Sunday and I wouldn't have cared. "Alright, then…well, the injury is really old. Remember when I told you that I fell off of my broomstick when I was young?" He nodded seriously, not taking his eyes off of mine; it was disconcerting. "Well, it ended up hurting some tendon in there, or some bone, and it hasn't grown right since. Now, any time I do anythin' strenuous, I'm in pain. So it wasn't your landing on top of me that hurt me. It was my own fault."

For a moment, there was a long silence. He broke it with soft words. "You…do know that you just gave me your _Achilles Heel_."

I, for one, was surprised that he could say "Achilles". But I kept that surprised thought to myself and I shook my head, trying not to laugh at my own stupidity. "Yeah, I know."

"Do you trust me now?" I obviously didn't see the smug look that flashed across his face, or I would have slapped him, or been angry, or something other than just standing there like an idiot.

I touched my tongue to my back teeth, like I normally did when I thought. "I don't know. But…all of you Quidditch stars are the same. I've met a lot, in my measly seventeen years, but all of them that I have met are big losers in the personality area. So far, you haven't been, but I haven't seen you at work, other than leavin' your cloak everywhere. Tell me, how many times have you loaned it out?"

"Vone."

I rolled my eyes, not believing it. He didn't have a tell, but there was no way that I was the first girl he'd "given" his cloak to. "Look…I need to get to dinner. I'll see you…sometime."

_Good Lord…why can't I just leave well enough alone? He would have never spoken to me if I hadn't opened my big mouth. _

I shook my head, cursing myself for my stupidity. He was just like all of the other assholes I had met in the past, flaunting their fame and money around as if it weren't expendable—well, you know what, it was. Fame could fall like the drop of a hat.

All of those girls following him around all the time, and him trying to run…the modest words…I didn't believe a word of it.

Not a one.

* * *

**Sometimes Leigh Ann's naïveté makes her **_**very **_**hard-headed. Its kind of like her self-defense mechanism. She doesn't want to be hurt by this guy whom she's **_**extremely**_** attracted to, but she knows that he's a "player."**** She' only worked with professional Quidditch players for **_**how **_**long, having the famous "Rene Reynolds" as her mother? Very long, let me tell you.**


	8. Potions and Dueling

**In this chapter, we get to look at Leigh Ann through Viktor's eyes again, and we see that Leigh Ann is a mighty good fighter. Except that she doesn't use a certain kind of spell, which Viktor notices, but doesn't say anything about…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Because if I got sued, you wouldn't get much money. I'd have money if I was JK Rowling.**

* * *

**Potions and Dueling**

"Ah, Miss Nelson, how nice of you join us," came that wry voice, and I looked up to see that the large man with half of his dark hair missing was looking at me with disgust. He had an overly large nose and small, beady eyes. "I was just about to ask what these potions were that I had here."

_Professor Sampson, how I wish you were here and not this buffoon. _Professor Plum had taken over Potions, as well as Dueling, and now I was in a double hell. _It probably doesn't help that I've been late twice now, either._

I moved into the dimly-lit room and walked towards the large group of Army soldiers and Marine males in front of me. The room was foggy and un-aired, smelling of many different potions. It was dark and bare, with the large head of what looked like an Acromantula and its fangs hanging above what looked like the man's desk.

"And because you have had the pleasure of interrupting me, Miss Nelson, why don't you tell the class what these potions are?" the Professor sneered, gesturing towards the many pots beside him.

I stepped closer hesitantly, trying to ignore the smug looks from the Marines. The first potion was in a very small cauldron, and it was clear, and as far as I could tell didn't have any smell. "This one is Veritaserum. It's a powerful truth serum. And ah, this one…" I moved to the next one to see that it was a murky green color, and smelled distinctly of dirt. "Mandrake Restorative Draught, to get rid of petrifaction. Tell me, how many students did you have to use this on before you managed to kill the Basilisk that's tooth is on your desk?"

The man looked very angered that I said this, and I quickly went on to the next cauldron. "This is obviously a Wolfsbane Potion, used to help werewolves retain control durin' their phases." I moved out of its way before the faint blue smoke could color my face. "And lastly…with the mother-of-pearl sheen, and the characteristic spirals of steam… It has to be Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. To each person, it smells different as to what they are attracted to. For example, I smell… Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a Quidditch pitch before a game, and…ah, well, you understand my meanin'."

_And winter. Does winter have a smell, like snow?_

The men instantly snuffed their laughter when I sent my glare their way. "That's each of them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe that all of us are ready to practice our potions."

The Professor sputtered indignantly. "G-grab your cauldrons and move to separate desks. Get our your ingredients and start on your own Polyjuice Potion. I don't expect anything nearly good enough from you, but you have at least one chance to prove yourselves!"

As if a well-oiled machine, every single student moved to their own table and started working. If I hadn't already been a well-oiled machine in Potions, I would have been instantly reprimanded.

I pulled my cauldron onto the table and grabbed out all twelve of the lacewing flies that needed to be stewed for twenty-one days, and threw half of them into the ounce of crude Antimony. The three drachms of pulverized Sal Ammoniac and blades of knotgrass were added, and then I stirred thrice to the right, and four times to the left, and let it sit for an hour as I started unsucculating the four leeches needed.

I pinched out my powdered horn of Bicorn. I took the iron and set it aside, (also called filings and rasplings of Salpeter, Mercury, and Mars.) As soon as I added the powdered horn and the leeches, and set aside my already-skinned-and-shredded skin of the boomslang to be dried.

"Let me see!" came a sudden booming voice, and I looked at my pocket watch to see that it was already nine-thirty.

I looked down to see that my potion still was—of course—unfinished. It was a light orange color, slightly thick.

The Professor stood over mine first. "I see that your potion is, of course, flawless. Anything less would result in kitchen duty. Every potion, Leigh Ann, every potion."

"Well, sir…considering that this potion still has to brew for the other thirty-one days in this month, I do believe that it will be a slight while before I even get to the next one."

The man's face had turned red: a definite sign that I had crossed a boundary. _Hah, his face matches his robes. Though that probably isn't an appropriate thought. _"Kitchen Duty! Seven o'clock!"

"I have Apparition Training," I said, frowning deeply. "But thank you, anyways." I looked up at the clock to see that it was time to leave, waving my wand and packing everything in less than a second, moving out the door before the befuddled man could say anything else.

**Viktor Krum**

She was a perfectly-oiled machine, ready for anything. Igor agreed as well, though he saw flaws in the way her entire school was taught. Not enough magic, too much Muggle garbage thrown in.

Leigh Ann, though half Muggle, had magic as strong as a pureblood's. She fought well, brewed wonderfully, and couldn't be left alone for longer than an hour without a teacher finding her about homework or championship workings.

It was a cool day, one where the Army was standing outside, practicing dueling. They were in camouflage green, brown, and black pants, with tan boots and brown t-shirts. Leigh Ann had stepped up, and was ready to fight one of her fellow classmates, when Igor decided to step in.

"My, my, Professor Plum. How wonderful to see you again."

Viktor looked from Igor to this "Professor Plum" man and noticed that they were glaring at each other, though only slightly. "Igor. See you've moved up in the world."

"And you, still teaching dueling classes? Why don't we see how your students are doing? Let's say…the Champion against one of my better duelers?"

Leigh Ann looked slightly taken aback, lowering her holly wand and staring at her Professor, dumbfounded. "Sir, I'm not so sure if that's a good idea." She also looked slightly perturbed. Viktor felt the same way—why hadn't Igor let _him_duel Leigh Ann?

"Scared?" one of the men behind Viktor asked, and he quickly stepped out of the way, to let her see Erik Gogil standing there. He was as tall and broad as Viktor, but with a better accent and lighter hair, eyes, and skin.

"In your dreams," she scoffed, reaching up to tighten her ponytail and wrap it up, to be in a perfect bun. "I just don't want any of you to wind up in the medical ward." And the strange thing about it was that she actually seemed sincere about this, and her eyes were apologetic.

The men around him laughed, but Viktor knew that she wasn't joking. Already, three men were sitting in hospital beds from her dueling them.

"Alright, you don't believe me? You—the one who asked if I was scared, I'll battle you, then." She straightened her dress shirt, pulled out her wand, and stood in the clearing nonchalantly, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I'll apologize ahead of time."

Erik couldn't back down from a fight, and yet he looked hesitant. Igor roughly pushed him into the ring, making him stumble slightly, and he stood at the opposite end of the dueling space.

"On my mark," Professor Plum said sharply, in a wimpy kind of voice that grated on Viktor's nerves. "Three…two…one…FIGHT!"

"_Alarte Ascendare_!" she barked in a bell-like tone, though Erik quickly dodged her move, sending a silent spell her way. A simple shield charm blocked it before she sent a curse at him, which caught on the edge of his cloak and instantly exploded.

The shield around her even seemed to keep out the bits of ground that flew her way—it was as if a giant bubble kept her safe. Even as she moved, smoke was pushed out of the way of her path.

Viktor watched with interest as they threw curses towards each other. He noticed that, even when she needed to be sneaky, she couldn't use nonverbal spells. It was a lesson taught in his third year—was she not in her fifth?

He shook his head and kept his eyes on her. When she fought, her eyes were narrowed as if she were constantly concentrating. Sometimes the tip of her little pink tongue peeked out between her lips at the same time that her eyebrows came together. When she spoke an incantation, she dictated each word perfectly. She'd been trained well.

Leigh Ann suddenly pointed her wand at the sputtering Erik and barked, "_Aqua Eructo_!" The fire around him went out instantly, and then he was thrust into the air on a waterfall, staying airborn. "I'm sorry!" she cried, flinching, and she never broke eye contact with her opponent.

Erik looked appalled that she would speak to him that way while he was horribly losing. "Why you—" he growled, flinging his wand for a spell.

She negated it with, "_Finite_! _Glacius_!" And, with that last spell, the entire pillar of water was frozen. Small wisps of ice tried to surround him, and they succeeded as he could barely throw out a few more curses her way.

Fluid muscles moved in her legs and back as she rolled across the ground, dodging his curses with ease. "_Bombarda_!" she cried with a disgruntled look on her face, making the pillar of ice collapse, covering Erik completely. "_Confun—_"

"_Enough_!" Igor cried, and Leigh Ann flinched, stopping. Erik, when he came out of the rubble irritably, was frosted over. He looked furious. "You've proved your point, Miss Nelson."

"That's Second Lieutenant, Headmaster," she said softly, seeming upset with herself. "I take my rank seriously, even if you and your men don't." She mumbled a spell that made a small towel come out from the end of her wand. She wiped her face to be rid of the gleam that had appeared during the conflict. Then, she looked at the position of the sun and said, "Now, if you'd excuse me, I have Study of Ancient Runes and Professor Boyle won't be too happy with me if I'm late."

She then waved her wand, gathering all of her things, and she trotted off towards her next class.

"Well I've never," Igor scoffed, and Viktor noticed that he was slightly red.

_Me, either,_Viktor thought, watching her hips sway enticingly as she walk away. Erik, soaked now and standing next to him, started grinding his teeth. Viktor looked over and said, "_She warned you, Erik._"

"_Did you actually take her seriously?_"

If she had been any other woman, then the answer would have been no. "_Never doubt a woman in uniform._"

"I ap-pologize for her h-horrible behavior, Headmaster," Professor Plum stuttered, looking paler than normal. "She's unruly and a behavioral issue!"

_She apologized ahead of time, for Merlin's sake!_

"With too much time on her hands, it appears," Igor growled as he too watched her walk away. "Perhaps you need to do something about that, Professor?"

"I can't take her out of any class. Her spare time is filled with homework and the Tournament, and as per the General's orders, I cannot take her away from Tournament duties. Believe me, I would have her working noon, night, and day if it were up to me, but it isn't."

Viktor noticed that some of Leigh Ann's fellow classmates didn't agree with this, and they were glaring murderously at the Professor. It seemed that he wasn't a very well-liked man. Leigh Ann seemed to make friends wherever she went.

"We will be taking our leave now," Igor growled out, turning around. He then stormed off, as apparently that was his goodbye. He barked orders for the rest of them to follow. As soon as Viktor caught up with his Headmaster, Igor started talking. "Viktor, stay with me. Everyone else, leave us." He waited until they were all gone before speaking again, not looking at him. "_She is more powerful than I would have thought from watching her._"

Viktor instantly knew that he did not want to have this conversation. The dread that filled him told him as much. "_I already knew that, Headmaster_."

"_You have been watching her, then, as well?_"

Every chance he got. "_Yes, sir._" He wanted to know why she fascinated him so much. The girls he bedded were all thin and gorgeous—she was...not thin, and not gorgeous, but..._beautiful._

Igor didn't seem to notice his distraction. "_Good. I have taught you well. Keep your enemies close, especially her. Use your charms to get under her skin. Try to befriend her._"

He felt a cold sweat appearing on the back of his neck. "_Sir, I—_"

"_I know that you have already tried. Though I noticed that you took a walk with her before Champions were announced. Attracted to her, are you?_"

He hated admitting anything to his Headmaster. The fact that he could read so well into Viktor's strange attraction infuriated him. "_She is very...beautiful._"

"_If you say so. Just make sure you can get all the information you can out of her. Make her think that she feels safe in your company. I want to know everything about her, every weakness, every…ah…_Achilles Heel _that you can find. Do you understand?_"

Viktor contemplated telling Igor about her hip injury, but he knew that he had promised Leigh Ann that he wouldn't tell a soul or use it against her, and Igor definitely would. _And technically it isn't an Achilles Heel, right? It isn't the worst possible thing about her. It wouldn't be lying not to tell him. _"_Yes, sir._"

"_Good. Now leave me. I have work to do._"

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**Dun-dun-dun-dunnnnn! Viktor now has to either listen to his head, or to his Headmaster. And Leigh Ann sure did kick some butt! She didn't like it too much, though.**


	9. Know It All

**I'm rather disappointed with my reviews. Truthfully, this story is the reason I joined Fanficiton at all. I'm not going to stop uploading, but a review here or there would be wonderful.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, people might actually be reading this.**

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**Know-It-All**

The First Task was to be held on the 24th of November. The day I knew what it would be was the day I had figured out that I had become champion, sitting on the dock and writing letters to my family and friends. I had decided to take a swim, one of the last times I would be able to before the weather turned for the worst.

It was…strange. I could feel them near me. It was a smell of soot, sweat, and blood. It was heady, it drifted on the air. And as I swam in the Hogwarts Lake, it was carried straight to me, and I almost choked in my back stroke.

I quickly swam to the shore, coughing, and pulled out, grabbing my towel. _Dragons…really? Do they _want_ someone to get killed? So much for the, "It'll be safer, no one will be killed this time," speech._

_What were you expecting? Fairies and Pixies? This is the Triwizard Tournament, Leigh Ann, and you can't be chickening out now!_

Oh, great, I was already starting to talk to myself.

_I'm not chickening out, and I'm not going crazy…_

So now it was Sunday, November 22nd, and I had already read the damned article on Harry. I'd quickly gone to him and told him that I knew it was rubbish, (good Lord, I was speaking like them, too,) and that Hermione needn't listen to those rumors. They were just friends, and that was it.

They had thanked me, but then said that I should feel angry. I told them that I wasn't.

Well…at least until I read _my _piece of the article.

When talking about her mother, one Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson couldn't be more hateful. Never in this reporter's life has she heard such disregarding comments towards those older, more mature and revered than a mere teenager! Daughter of world-renowned Chaser for England and American National Quidditch Teams, Rene Nelson nee Reynolds, she is ashamed of her mother's fame and wants to hide behind her strict uniforms and rebel demeanor. Against her dress code, Leigh Ann took down her hair and tried to outshine rival Champion Fleur Delacour. According to an anonymous source, Mademoiselle Delacour and Lieutenant Nelson have been sharpening their claws since the beginning and are ready to battle it out to the finish! Is it because of the so-called relationship between the hunky Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum and the American, who were seen on a romantic moonlit walk together? Or simply because only one woman truly belongs in this tournament? Against her opponents, Leigh Ann is ruthless, fighting dirty to get where she needs to be. One Erik Gogil states that she used cheap, dirty tricks to beat him in a fair duel, goading him into battle. Who can stop this rebellion before it spreads even further? Rita Skeeter will keep you in touch!

Angrily, with a growl, I crumpled the paper and threw it in the waste bin, taking out my wand and instantly lighting it on fire, thinking it was her horrible hair. _There! What do you think about me now, Miss RITA SKEETER?_

"Did you _see_ what the woman wrote about me?" I shouted, making the soldiers and Hogwarts students around me flinched. "She wrote my rank wrong when I told her _specifically_!"

Everyone looked at me, like, _"That's what you're the most worried about?"_

"Well, you _did_ say that you 'had to respect your elders' to her," Hermione said, a look of laughter in her eyes. "I think that you started a fire with that statement."

"If she wants to play with fire, then I'll fight it back with fire," I growled, holding the picture of me half smiling. Next to it, in the shape of a heart, Viktor and I were talking seriously, looking into each other's eyes. "And how the hell did she get this picture?"

"Just…ignore it, Leigh," Mary said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I mean, you do have to admit that some of us are wondering after the whole cloak fiasco."

I felt a blush other than anger appear on my cheeks. "I've already told you, that was nothing."

"Still, though," Fred Weasley said, standing over my shoulder suddenly, "you got to meet Viktor Krum!" Fred and his brother George, siblings of Ron, had stated sitting with us recently. They swore up and down that any Slytherin or Marine that tried to talk to us would wake up in the morning with dung bombs in their beds.

I felt myself smirking dryly. "Fame isn't everything, Fred."

"I'm George!"

"No, you're Fred, because you speak slower," I said to him, turning around to give him a smile. "What have you two been up to?"

"It's a secret," he said, giving a wink. "Top."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." Though Harry, sitting next to me, had been quiet the entire time. "Hey, Harry, are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh. Fine."

"No, you're not. I may be an American, but I'm startin' to get the gist of you British people's emotions. You're deep in thought, broodin'."

"I'm not _brooding!"_ he shouted, running his hands over his face. "I— Well…its nothing that I can tell you about."

_The Tournament_. I bit my lip for a moment, and then grabbed his arm and stood up. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

"Leigh, you know you can't—" Hermione started, but I gave her a look.

"We're not going to. I just want to make sure that Harry knows what he's doing." She still looked hesitant, but let us go. I pulled him out of the Great Hall, out the big front doors and into the sunlight that was still somehow freezing. "Now…"

"I know what it is," he said suddenly, making me release a held in breath.

"Good. I was scared that you didn't know at all."

"_What_?"

That made me blush, and I looked to my walking feet. "Well…I've known since the day we became Champions."

"But how—"

"Smell carries far. I think that the Ministry put them in the woods for a reason, but you know, it was a pretty dumb reason unless they wanted us to find them."

He was silent for a moment. "Were you trying to…help me?"

"Yup."

"Why?"

"You're my friend, and you _didn't_ want to be in this Tournament. Now, I'm not going to help you decide how to deal with them, but I will tell you that I know you can do it."

Again, it took him a moment to answer. "Well…thanks, Leigh."

"No problem. Now, I guess its time for Transfiguration. I'll talk to you later, Harry!"

"Yeah…later…"

I was in the library for the next two days, studying up on every spell I had ever learned. All of them, their sayings and their wand movements, were written down in a little book that Grandmother had given me before she had disappeared again. The pure blood grandmother never had taken an interest in me.

Harry and Hermione were sitting a table away from me, and we weren't "helping" each other, but merely making suggestions. I had come up with a few distractions for my dragon, as well as a few things that would stop any fire coming my way or any foot that was about to crash down on me.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of giggling girls. I looked over, expecting to see Diggory or Krum, and of course, it was Krum. "Merlin, can't he study on his ship?" I asked irritably, slamming my book shut. "Come on, guys, it's going to be noisy in here pretty soon."

Just as I predicted, the second we left, a group of girls, one with a Bulgaria scarf around her waist, walked in, giggling.

"Merlin, I hate that."

"Hate what?" Harry asked, pulling his bag over his shoulder.

"I think he does it on purpose!" I exclaimed, clutching my books tighter to my chest. "Really! He goes out in public, walking as if it were his land, and I think he expects them to follow!"

"Leigh, I don't mean to sound like a fan, but I don't think he likes it," Harry said, looking a little nervous. "I mean, I thought he went in there to get rid of them. See?"

I turned around to see that the Librarian had kicked all of the girls out of the library, and then I felt ashamed. Only a little, though. "Yeah, maybe, but I've never met a guy more full of himself, or his fame!"

"What do you have against him?" Harry asked when Hermione agreed with me.

"The fame, obviously." _And the smell...and the eyes...and the warmth... Oh, he's just in it for the money and the girls! _At least that was what I kept trying to tell myself.

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**Well, I don't have much to say. Hi?**


	10. The First Task

**So I'm really happy this week. And, since I won't be home tomorrow, you're getting your next chapter EARLY. Be happy(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. First of all, I'm not very original, and second of all I'd never come up with a name like "Harry Potter" or "Viktor Krum."**

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**The First Task**

"Second Lieutenant!" came the General's voice, and I looked up to see his bright blue eyes smiling at me, his tanned skin like a map on his face and his grey hair a halo around his head. "It is time to move down to the grounds. I trust that you are ready for the First Task?"

_Wait a moment...is the General worried about me? _I smiled at him, standing up and closing my book. "I'm completely ready. This First Task will be a breeze."

He raised his eyebrow, then turned when I just shrugged. "Come. …I'm glad to see that you are dressed in your desert camouflage. What made you change from normal?"

I looked down onto the different tan colors of my tan pants, then my tan shirt, then the same-colored jacket as the pants, then the tan boots. Did I smile? "I guess inspiration just hit me, General."

He waited until we were alone to ask, "How long have you known?"

"Since I became Champion."

"The smell?"

"I'm glad you figured it out, too. And even happier to know that you didn't give me any hints."

His face was serious as he nodded. "I was only playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Though I can't say the same for the other four Champions." He frowned before we walked on down.

"Well, as long as we play honorably, that's all that matters, right?"

"Sometimes, yes. Other times, no, Leigh." He looked off into the distance when he said this, and I was a little worried. I looked there as well, and saw that a large tent was open, its flaps towards us, though I knew what it was blocking.

I smiled at the General with as much hope as I could muster, but for some reason butterflies were riling in my stomach. "It'll be okay, sir."

"I know, I know…just remember, keep your head down."

"Don't worry, I will. Besides, being nervous doesn't suit me." I smiled, and he left me alone at the entrance of the tent. I then let out a breath, lost the fake smile, and walked in.

Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a low wooden stool. She didn't have her normal cocky look, instead seeming anxious, pale, and clammy. Cedric was pacing up and down, though he gave me a smile when I entered. Viktor looked very surly, scowling at the floor, though maybe it was just his way of showing nerves, and he didn't look at me when I came in. Harry was there, too, just standing and looking awkward, and he smiled at me too.

"Leigh Ann!" Bagman cried, running over to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Good-o! Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"

I wanted to laugh at how Ludo looked like an overblown cartoon figure wearing his old Wasp robes. _Oh, yeah, that's how he knew my mother…she started out on the Wimbourne Wasps._

"Well now, we're all here—time to fill you in! When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag"—he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it—"from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different…_varieties_, you see… Oh, and I have to tell you something else too…ah, yes…your task is to _collect the golden egg_!"

_Oh shit…oh shit…the dragons are nesting! What the hell do they want us to do, become a crisp? _Maybe I wasn't the only one who was freaking out. Cedric was pacing again, looking green. Harry looked green too, Krum was brooding even more, and Fleur looked paler.

In no time, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet were passing the tent. I could hear my own delegation happily discussing the tournament, but they weren't the ones in it…_Okay, okay, calm down. Don't be trying to talk yourself out of this. You can do this, you can do this…_

"Ladies first…" Ludo said, opening the purple silk bag to Fleur.

She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon. _Ah, the easiest…a Welsh Green._ It had the number two around its neck. She wasn't fearful, but had a determined resignation on her face. That meant that somehow she had known.

"Miss Nelson…?"

I reached in and felt something burn me, and something stab me, so I reached for something else—it was heavy. I picked it up and wondered if I had made the right choice, what with the bright red, evil eyes and the impervious-looking grey metallic skin. The number four was wrapped around its neck.

"The Ukrainian Ironbelly…"

_The heaviest dragon in the world. Of course. Slower, possibly, but still _very_ dangerous…_

The same held true for Viktor, about the knowing. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had the number three around its neck. And yet he didn't blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.

Cedric was next. He reached in and pulled out the bluish-green Swedish Short-Snout, the number one around its neck.

And then Harry reached in, pulling out a tan-colored, dangerous-looking dragon that bared its miniscule fangs. Five was around its neck. _Oh, no, the Hungarian Horntail! Harry, no!_

"Well, there you are!" Bagman said excitedly. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now….Harry…could I have a quick word? Outside?"

I frowned when Harry said yes, knowing that the man was being very conniving and that Harry shouldn't listen to him. Seeing as how I couldn't help Harry in this time of need, I put a hand on Cedric's shoulder. "Hey, it'll be okay, Cedric. The Swedish Short-Snout…it's not the worst you could get, right?"

He smiled shakily at me. "Thanks, Nelson…that helped."

"Ah, I don't like sarcasm," I said, gently punching his shoulder. "Just do you best, alright? I'm sure you'll do fine." I'd wondered if he had ever even known about the dragons. My assumption was that if he had known, it hadn't been for long and if he hadn't, then he was about to throw up. Or maybe he would just throw up anyways.

I quickly backed away, and heard a whistle. Cedric then turned a darker green and walked out of the tent. There was a horrible roar as everyone saw him emerge onto the field, and then…

I closed my mind to anything Bagman said. Fleur, next to me, stood up and started to follow Cedric's footsteps, pacing back and forth. Sometime during that, Harry had come back in, and he was pacing as well. That wasn't helping me concentrate on the sounds of my own heart, to keep from hearing anything outside, the crowd yelling like wild animals, gasping, screaming…

It took fifteen minutes for the crowd to roar, meaning that Cedric had gotten past his dragon and gotten the golden egg. "Very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!" But he didn't say them out loud. "One down, four to go! Miss Delacour, if you please!"

Fleur was trembling from head to foot; I suddenly felt a little closer to her, and I nodded seriously. We were the only women in this Tournament, where men didn't think we should be. We had to stick together, even if we kind of sort of hated each other.

She walked out with her head held high.

Fleur only took ten minutes, and she must have been successful too. A pause, while her scores were being shown, then more clapping, then, the whistle.

"And here comes Mr. Krum!"

I caught his eye before he walked out. His face was calm, but his eyes were full of fear—something I didn't think that Viktor Krum was capable of. I nodded to him, trying to give him a small smile. I realized that I couldn't. Because then was when I realized that I was up next. I instantly fell back down onto a seat and curled up in a ball, my head between my knees. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe...

It didn't last long, and the screech of the Chinese Fireball emitted, giving off an ear-splitting shriek.

"—and—yes, he's—he's got the egg!"

_Oh, Merlin… I didn't mean to use Your name in vain so many times. Please, watch over me, and maybe keep the dragon at bay? Please? _

_Ahh… Well, here goes nothing…_

_**Viktor**_

"Miss Nelson, if you please!" Bagman cried out, and the whistle blew. Viktor then looked up from his hands, feeling shaky and exhausted and full of energy at the same time. His dragon…he'd almost gotten killed…

But Leigh Ann had an even more dangerous dragon, and she didn't even looked fazed. Though, right before he had gone out, he could have sworn that he had seen a small glimmer of fear. For him? Probably not, but for herself. She'd smiled at him, and, even through her fear, she was beautiful.

_No wonder you almost became a crisp,_ he thought, shaking his head, _you were too focused on her! It's always her!_ He kept saying that she was just a girl—not the woman he was looking for. She was a total of seventeen years of age, if that, and the way she acted sometimes...ach, and the school uniform did nothing for her! She was wearing clothing that blended in with the tan rocks, her hair up and away from her face professionally so that she could see. Her skin was the darkest thing on her.

_I don't care...I don't care... _Well, he tried thinking that, at least, but as she walked forwards, her eyes set on the dragon's face, his heart started beating faster. The dragon looked at her, as if asking, _"What do you want from _me_?"_ and got a little more angry with each step she took.

Suddenly, it opened its mouth and unleashed a roar of bright blue flame.

"_Protego Totalum Extremus_," she said calmly, and the dragon's fire hit her.

A gasp went up from the crowd, everyone standing up all at once. "My God!" Bagman exclaimed, his voice sounding terrified. Viktor was on his feet as well, his heart beating like it would jump out of his chest. "That blast was powerful!" Everyone expected her to be dead, but instead, when the smoke cleared, she was standing there as if nothing had happened. In fact, the smoke wasn't even making it inside the small sphere of her protection charm. "And, she's alright! Miraculous! Amazing spell work!"

No one else may have seen it, but Viktor noticed that she looked very relieved.

She started walking forwards, rubble running around her. "_Langlock_!" she shouted, pointing at the dragon whenever it started to blow fire again. Now, it couldn't, as its tongue was glued to the top of its mouth. Enraged, the dragon brought its tail around to smash her into the ground.

With an agility that Viktor could not have gathered coming from her, Leigh Ann jumped sideways, out of the way, and behind a large rock. The tail came down exactly where she had been.

"Ooh, a close one! The Ukrainian Ironbelly may be slow, but it is the heaviest dragon in the world and can pack the biggest punch!"

She started walking again. The dragon's tail came up again, and…! "_Impedimentia_!" she cried, her voice shaking a little now. The dragon's tail was knocked back and into a large boulder.

She then stood up and stretched her long legs out, running towards the center, then quickly hiding behind the next boulder about fifteen yards in front of the one she had just been behind. "Look at 'er run!" Bagman shouted, and Viktor wanted the man to shut up so that Leigh could concentrate. Hell, Viktor had wanted the man to shut up when he had been getting _his _egg.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" she shouted powerfully when the dragon saw her again, and a large burst of silver light appeared in front of her, swirling around in a mist. It slowly transformed into a large bird, what appeared to be an American eagle, and flew up into the air.

Now set on its new prey, the dragon became distracted. Leigh Ann raised her wand up in the air and then, muttering her spell as soft as possible, was invisible. Everyone was silent as they watched the Patronus flying around the dragon, which had started to flap its wings bitterly. It slowly rose up off of the ground.

Beneath it, the Golden Egg was picked up by invisible hands, and then moved a safe distance away. Leigh Ann, covered in soot, instantly came visible again, a large grin on her face. She held it up, and the entire stadium went wild. Viktor knew that he should have been upset with how well she did, but the grin that appeared on his face appeared instantly. He clapped just as loudly as everyone else.

Leigh Ann's face relaxed, and she looked down onto the egg with curiosity—unfortunately, the noise of the crowd cheering had increased the dragon's aggravation at the Patronus. In an instant, its tail was lashed out randomly, and it hit Leigh directly in the middle of the back.

She flew forwards, to the cries of hundreds of students, and hit the stone wall, falling into a crumpled heap onto the ground. The Patronus instantly disappeared.

All was silent as everyone waited, watching. Viktor's heart had almost stopped—he'd never expected something like that to happen. He watched the dragon's keepers in the ring, trying to calm it down and get it out.

Slowly, she moved. She used the wall to get up, clutching the egg to her stomach and smiling, her lip busted open. "I'm okay," she yelled to the crowds, though Viktor could see that she wasn't. His heart was just starting to calm, from having seen her attacked so horribly.

Leigh Ann was quickly taken off of the field, the General under one arm, that blue-eyed man under the other. He wanted to help her…

But he had been beaten to it.

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**Hmm...a slight bit of confusion, if I do say so myself. Well, anyways, I quite enjoy this chapter. If anyone out there who is reading can see something that Leigh Ann NEVER does whenever spellcasting, and they get it right, I will tell them anything about the story that they want to know! Because Leigh Ann has one very, very large weakness, and its the one thing that really sets her back.**


	11. I Don't Dance

**I'm actually really happy for my few watchers. I want to thank you! And, just knowing that even three or four people are reading makes my day. So, please read on!(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I would have never been able to write seven books!**

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**I Don't Dance**

For me, getting hurt was a normal part of daily life. A rolled ankle, a paper cut, a bruise here or there…

But a _dragon_ hurting me, now that was a different thing all together. First of all, I'd never even _seen_ a dragon until that day, unless they were in a book, or the small ones protecting the grounds or in statues, and then suddenly I'd been put up against one. Not without warning, considering I'd known for three weeks before, but still.

Now here I was, sitting up in a comfy bed, Get Well letters, candy, candy wrappers, and stuffed animals sitting around me in my Officer's Quarters. _"So I've had Officers Quarters all this time and you never told me?" _

"_You never asked." _

"_Thanks, Jason. Appreciate it." _

"_Love the sarcasm, sis." _

"_Hate you, bro."_

"_Hey, but at least you got a pretty good score. Damn that Karkoof guy…" _

"_His name is Karkaroff, and at least he gave me a better score than he gave Harry!"_

"_A _five_! Harry got a four!"_

"_Yeah, but I also got a nine from Madame Maxime, Dumbledore, Crouch, and Bagman. The General gave me a nine, too. So I'm still in second."_

"_Yeah, because Harry and Krum tied for first…"_

Mary was sitting next to me, telling me about the party that had gone on right after I'd been carried to the infirmary. "It was amazing, Leigh, you should have been there. Wine coolers, flown in from the US, beer, oh, and someone spiked the punch again, licorice sticks…"

"Ew!" I exclaimed, still looking around at the pretty blue and green shades of everything. A large, four-poster bed, my own large, private bathroom, and a soundproof interior. _Perfect for parties, right?_ Jason had asked me. I'd then wondered where I had been when he had been throwing parties in _his_ Quarters.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, it doesn't sound good to _you_, you goody-two-shoes Officer. But it was so amazing! I haven't had licorice sticks in months… The Air Force boys came over with their speakers and we had a horrible karaoke going on, but still, everyone was dancing and having a good time and—"

"Sounds like fun," I said dryly, rolling my eyes and popping something called a chocolate frog into my mouth. It was pretty good, actually, if you got over the fact that it was charmed to jump. "Too bad I couldn't be there."

Mary frowned. "Sorry, Leigh…I guess that I'm rubbing it in your face, huh?"

"Yup," I said, popping the 'P'. _Huh…there's a card in here. _I picked it up and was surprised to see my mother staring back at me. "Hey, look, my mom's on a chocolate frog card!" Strange thing, looking at your parent being even slightly famous.

Mary took it from me, looking from it to me three times. "You know, you really do look like her, except brunette."

"Yeah, and now with a broken rib and four bruised ones. I really look like my famous, Quidditch-playing mother now."

She looked a little taken back. "You know, this card only says one thing about your mother playing Quidditch. The rest is about her work in D.C."

"…Oh." I felt a little dumb then, deciding to go for the safe candy that I knew. So, Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans it was. "Okay. Well, then, I guess I'll start my Chocolate Frog Card collection with my mom." That felt weird to say. I picked up some of the chocolate, pulling the Beans closer, and handed it to her. "Here, try one, they're pretty good."

"I'm…okay."

"Hey, its not like you need to watch your figure," I said wryly, patting my hips. "I think I got you beat there."

She blushed, then looked at her watch. "Oh, crap…Dueling is coming up. I've got to go, sorry, Leigh."

"'Sokay," I mumbled, looking down at the load of books she had brought me. "I'll just work on that three page Transfiguration essay, I guess."

She smiled apologetically. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll come back later, alright?"

"Sure. See you later, Mary."

I sighed, snuggling down into my warm comforter, ready for an instant of quiet, when she came running back. "OH! OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO TELL YOU!" she cried randomly, coming up to the side of my bed.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" I demanded, pulling back from her shaking hands. My ribs were even more sore.

"The Yule Ball!"

"_What_?"

"Augh, when you were asleep, the General announced the Yule Ball! Merlin, I can't believe I forgot to tell you!"

I felt really confused at that moment. "What in Merlin's name is a Yule Ball?"

"It's a dance!" Mary let out a squeal, her hair bouncing up and down with her excitement. "It's on Christmas Day, at eight o'clock, and we have to dress up! Okay, we've got to make plans…you, me, and a few of the other girls need to go to Hogsmede, then Floo back to America and get some kind of dress…a dress! Back to America!"

"…Can we even Floo that far away?"

"I don't know, but you can't Apparate yet, and—"

"I've already got a dress, Mary!" I exclaimed, holding a hand over my sore ribs after the yelling hurt them. "Besides, you know I can't dance!"

"What?"

"I brought one with me! My mom made me, so I've already got one."

"Good enough for the dance? And I _know_ that you can dance, we've all seen you do it!"

"Good enough for the dance. And no, I don't dance well."

She bit her lip. "That is _so_ unfair that you have a dress. Well, would you still go with us? Shopping _and_ to the Ball?"

"Depends on how my ribs holds up, and whether or not I figure out the mystery of my egg," I said, reaching over to the desk next to me and grabbing it up.

"You _have_ to open it at the party tonight," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"I don't think I've seen this many parties since Major General Charles McCoy got put on probation," I said, chuckling at my Third Year memories. "Is this one the 'Leigh-is-Awake-so-We'll-Party' party?"

"Pretty much. So who're you going to ask?"

That caught me off guard, and I couldn't answer for a moment. Instantly, Viktor popped into my head, but _that _would never happen! _Hmm...who to go with me to a dance?_ "Well, I really wasn't thinking about…"

"But you _have_ to ask someone, or have someone ask you, because the Champions are opening the dance! You can't just go _alone_."

My heart sank. _Well, that had been my plan. Looks like that's down the drain. Who the hell will want to go with _me_ to a dance?_ "Well, I guess I'll ask someone, I guess…"

"I'm not so sure that you won't get, like, twenty invitations from the guys in the Academy." Why was Mary so happy for me? It was like she was determined for me to have a good time at the dance! I ean, that I would, but still, I could find a date—I didn't need her help.

"I _so_ don't want to go with a guy I've known since I was twelve," I said, giving her a wry look.

"You know you do!"

"No, I don't! Now get to your Dueling class!" I laughed and shooed her away, holding my egg to my chest, glancing at it. _What if I...?_ I reached for the lid, but then I decided better against it. _I'll open it at the party._

_**Later…**_

The first person to ask me was Second Lieutenant Justin Lucas of the Air Force. With him and his cute dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes and dark skin and bright, white smile, he was so handsome, and very funny.

But I didn't think I wanted to go with him. "Justin," I said, feeling bad for him, "find yourself a nice Beauxbatons girl to go with. No offense, but I've known you since we were born, and I just find it a little weird."

He took it well, laughing it off. "Well, a guy's got to try, right?"

"Right."

The fourth person I turned down was Captain James Decker of our own Army, the Seventh Year Officer. He reminded me a lot of my older brother, considering he was my brother's best friend.

"Jim, you're like my older brother. It'd be a little awkward, don't you think? And besides, I think my brother would kill and/or disown you."

He laughed. "You're right. Still, you've grown up since I first met you."

"I was nine."

"Exactly!'

I shook my head and shooed him away, not wishing to go with him, and not wishing to get my brother's pants in a bunch. "Sorry, it's a no, Captain."

"Understandable."

The desolate look on his face instantly made me feel _awful. _It might have been counterproductive, but I opened my big mouth _again_. "But…I _did_ hear that Mary might be looking for a date…you like Mary, don't you?"

He rubbed his strong chin, his handsome face scrunched up in thought. "The blonde in your squadron?"

Well, there were three blondes. But I didn't say that. "Yup. The one with the dimples and the pretty blue eyes?"

He was silent for a moment longer. "You know…I think I might just take up that offer. She's what, a Sergeant?"

"Staff Sergeant."

"Even better."

I picked up a bag of some kind of candy and threw it at him. "Oh, get out of here and treat her right, you hear me?"

He saluted sarcastically with his left hand, as his right hand had caught the candy. _Damn you, you're going to steal my candy_. "Yes, Ma'am!" I threw a pillow at him next, and then he left.

_Man, what's up with these men…?_

_**Later…**_

It took about four days, but finally my ribs were mended and I was able to get up, weighing at least four pounds more I suspected. _At the rate I'm going, I won't even be able to fit into my dress…_

And the egg—nothing, nada, ZIP. I'd opened it during the party _in my room_, and the horrible sound it had emitted was enough to kill my eardrums, not to mention the party. Somewhere before I'd heard something like it, or read about something like it, but my mind was drawing a complete blank.

And now, as I was sitting on the banks of the lake, holding the egg...nothing came to me but my brother, who stood, leaning against the tree I was sitting against.

"So…you're sitting out here in the freezing cold…gazing off into the distance… holding an egg. If you weren't my sister, I'd be worried."

"And if you weren't my brother, I'd tell you to get lost, but I guess I can't really do that, seeing as how you've come out here to say something." _Ouch. That came out a little harsh._

"Me?" he asked innocently, leaning down and looking me in the eyes. "How do you know that I didn't come out here to just look at the lake with my lovely little sister?"

"Because you're my brother, and I know you better than that. Go ahead, ask me."

"Ask you what?"

"Merlin, you're ignorant."

He was silent for a moment, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Soooooo…" he drawled, suddenly getting his Carolina drawl back. "Who're ya goin' with?"

"Are you really interested, or do you just want to make sure the guy isn't too grabby?" I asked, looking up at him with wry eyes.

His lips were pursed and he looked uncomfortable. Jason reached behind his head and scratched it. "I just—want to make sure my little sister is going with someone respectable, that's all."

I moved my entire body, turning it so that it faced him. "And who are _you_ going with, you big hypocrite?"

He instantly looked devious. "You know that girl from Beauxbatons, the one with the blonde hair?"

"I'm pretty sure that three fourths of them have blonde hair, Jase." What was with guys and blonde hair? First James, now my brother...the world wasn't full of blondes! Well, it was, but...

My sarcasm didn't phase him. "She's got the most _beautiful_ blue eyes, and since I can speak French—"

He'd taken German and Spanish at the Academy! "Since when?" I demanded, but he didn't miss a beat.

"We've been talking quite a bit. Her hair—it's just, _wow_, and she's got the cutest little freckles on her nose—"

"Okay, I think I'm going to throw up. Do you mind?"

"Nope, go right ahead. Anna, I think I'm in love."

"Good for you!" I exclaimed sarcastically, throwing my hands up in the air. _I hope she's a Veela_, I thought bitterly. _Though I don't know why I'm being so bitter. He has a better love life than I do. _ I then picked up the little blanket across my legs, balled it up, and threw it into his face. "Now go away, I'm trying to figure out what to do about this egg."

"You still haven't told me who you're going with." It was just like my brother to remember things that only _he_ wanted to remember.

I sighed and knew that I had to tell him. "Well…I'm stuck between three. They all play Quidditch."

"What, you finally put Krum out of his misery and tell him that you would think about it?" he asked darkly, and when I looked up, he was actually being serious.

I scrunched up my nose. "No. First off, I think he's the most arrogant, fame-seeking, attention-getting bastard I've ever met. Second off, I don't think that two champions can go together. And thirdly…I've already told him no."

"He _asked you_?" Jason asked incredulously, almost falling on his face.

I glared at him. "Well in _case_ you haven't noticed, I _am_ a female. I'm seventeen, Jason, and its about time you started thinking of me as a girl!"

"Yeah, a _girl_! You're still too young for that sort of thing!"

I raised an eyebrow at him, tugging my blanket from his arms and putting it on my lap again. "I'm a _woman_. And if I remember correctly, when you were in your _Third Year_, I caught you making out with Samantha Ryder. I'm in my Fifth!"

He snickered, as if he remembered it. "You know, they call kissing here _snogging_. It's hilarious!"

"You're so immature. Tell me again why you're my brother _and _my Major?"

"Because I'm handsome, intelligent—"

"At least _some_what—"

"—physically in shape, and mentally. Perfect, lovely, and mature."

"A little full of yourself, aren't we?"

We were glaring at each other now, the way we always did whenever we got into a one-sided sarcasm fight, but then we dissolved into a fit of laughter. He sat beside me, putting an arm over my shoulder. "You're tough, kid. But if I had put my name in the Goblet, I think I might've gotten it in place of you. No offense."

"I'd punch you right now if you wouldn't punch back and hurt me," I said sarcastically, knocking my foot against his leg. "No offense. Now, why don't you leave me alone before I tell you the names of the Army men who asked me to the Ball?"

"Ooh, tell me!" he said, an evil glint in his eye. "I told all of those maggots if they even _thought_ about askin' you—"

"You aren't tellin' your entire bunk to stay away from me, are you?" I asked incredulously. He looked very, very guilty. _You can be…AUGH!_ "Just for that, I don't think I'll tell you who I'm goin' with."

"But Annaaaaaaa," he whined, wrapping his other arm around me in a hug, "you said you woulddddddd."

I rolled my eyes and knew that I'd have to tell him anyways. "Okay, so I've got the choice of one of my friends, or the two I'm not sure on. Fred—or George, I'm not sure, because I can't really tell—asked me if I wanted to go, and I'm sure it's just as a friend. It'd be a lot of fun!"

"Go with this Fred or George person," he said instantly, nodding his head seriously.

"You just want me to go with him so that no one gets too grabby. Well, maybe I like him!"

He had an eyebrow raised, staring at me with sarcasm. "Since when are you attracted to tall, skinny red-heads?"

"Well, I'm not, but…"

"Okay, okay, I'd rather you go with Fred. Or George. Or whatever his name is! But tell me the other two."

I knew that the second I told him, he would confront them both. "You have to swear not to even look at them the wrong way."

"Anna…"

"Swear!"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, I swear, now tell me!"

"Okay, well, you won't like the first one…he's a Chaser, and his name's Adrian Pucey, and he's in Slytherin." My brother frowned, ready to talk, but I interrupted. "Listen, first! I asked Harry, and he said that Adrian is one of the few on the team who had been honorable. So maybe he's the better side of Slytherin sorting."

"He'd better be…"

"If you _think _about talking to him, Jason, I swear…"

"Just—tell me the other one."

"I don't think I want to, not with the way you're acting!"

It took him a moment, but then Jason was like a popped balloon, letting out all of his pent-up anger. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Just tell me."

"Well…he's a Gryffindor…"

"Yeah? What's he play?"

"Keeper. I'm just a little nervous going with him, though, because he seems completely full of himself."

"A lot of these English dogs are, but I'm sure that he's better than the _Slytherin_. Come on, Anna, they sit with the Marines!"

For the hundredth time, I wished that the Marines at our school were like the Marines in the real world. "Well, I know, but Adrian seemed really nice, and Cormac McLaggen…he was really, I don't know, he acted like I wouldn't be able to get a word in, he would talk about himself so much…"

"Look, sis, as long as the guy you go with is good, I'm goin' to be okay. But let me tell _you_, I'll have my eye on you every so often during the night, so please, nothing spectacular, _please_."

I sighed in resignation. _Go with Fred—or George—and have a night I _know_ will be fun, or go __with McLaggen and maybe have fun, but still have somewhat of a date. Hmm…_

I didn't know. I really didn't.

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**Review! (:**


	12. The Yule Ball

**I just want to thank all of the people who are reviewing and watching this story. It really does make my day. Thank you, all of you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I wouldn't be a poor teenager, would I?**

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**The Yule Ball**

"CHRISTMAS!"

Well, that was the first thing that woke me up. The second thing, was a big fat "Merry Christmas!" in my face at six o'clock in the morning.

I was startled awake at the sound of Mary's voice, her pretty round face above my head. I let out a startled scream and rolled away, to the floor with a _THUD_. "Christ, Mary, don't you know better by now not to do that?"

The girl bounced up onto my bed and looked so ecstatic that it was hard to stay angry with her. Though somehow I managed. All of the other girls who had followed her in were happy, too, even Lisa Moore, the prude. "I know, it's just that this is one of the first times that I've ever seen you in the morning. Usually you're not here, so we're gonna have Christmas together. And besides, it's _Christmas_! We've got to go to the boy's barrack and see if everyone has presents!"

I groaned as I moved to get up from the floor, rubbing my sore forehead. _Right… the tree is in the boy's bunk…_ "Please tell me you still don't believe in Santa."

"No, but it's still fun to see who got what and from who!"

"Whom," I corrected in a sigh. I pulled myself up and wished that I didn't have to do anything that day. Christmas was usually a great time for me, but this year…I didn't get to see my mom, or dad, or sister, or grandparents, or anything! I was usually far away fro the land of magic and in the warm kitchen of my muggle gramma. I was actually feeling kind of homesick.

"You go on ahead, Mary," I sighed as she bounced up and down on my bed energetically. "I'll be there in a few moments. Just let me wake up."

Her happiness seemed to die down for a moment. "Oh. Are you sure?"

I nodded and she slowly got up from the bed, her eyes hesitant. "Yeah. I just need a few moments alone." I smirked up to her. "This is my first Christmas with you guys. I just need time for it to sink in." _And to make sure I don't go crazy._

"Oh," she sighed, as if it were completely obvious. "Okay. Well, if you want breakfast, you might want to hurry up. You know those boys!" _Augh, who had kitchen duty last night? I hope it was someone who could cook, since we're not eating Christmas breakfast in the castle…_

"Of course," I chuckled, putting my bed sheets on my bed and smoothing them out. "Now go on. You need the nourishment more than I do."

"What's that supposed to mean? You look way better than I do."

"Yeah, yeah." I threw the pillow at her, getting out a laugh. "Now get going! I need some time alone."

"Alright, see you there," she said softly, closing the door behind her and the rest of the girls who had left. I sighed and instantly flopped down onto my back, covering my face with my pillow.

_**The Day Of**_

"You look _gorgeous_," Mary gasped, twirling a piece of my hair around one of her fingers. "Cormac is not going to be able to keep his hands off of you."

_Do I?_ I wondered, smoothing down the red fabric around my hips. The dress was long, with no straps and a heart-shaped top that contoured to the curve of my waist, and then loosened directly at the middle of my hips, flowing to the ground. It was a dark maroon, a color that did wonders to my olive complexion, and had black accents running up and down, diluting the farther down it went as the black mixed with that of the skirt.

There was a slit up the side, showing off my long, tan right leg in a strappy black heel. _These are totally going to kill your ankles and hips for the rest of the month…_ But I thought that it was worth it.

My long brown hair was in millions and millions of curls, black and red accents that looked like fire coming through the curls, but it was just a Charm. My bangs were swept to the side prettily, framing my face.

And my makeup was just mild. I had a little bit of black eyeliner around the outside corners of my eyes, some red eye shadow to make my eyes even more hazel than they already were, some soft brown blush, and skin-tone lipstick, to make the entire look natural.

Mary was dusting my shoulders with some powder, so that I would look perfect when I walked in. "I think Alex will _kill_ you if you don't send her pictures."

_Alex…_ I thought sadly, wishing that my best friend were there. "Yeah, I know. You look really pretty too, Mary."

She blushed prettily, her bright blue eyes excited as she looked in the mirror next to me. She was my complete opposite, wearing a dress of light blue that flowed around her like water. It was different shades of blue and it made her eyes become all of those different shades.

Her pretty blonde hair was done up much like mine, but with small blue and white crystals strung all up in her hair. And, even with heels on, she was still shorter than me without mine.

"So…I hear that you're going with the Captain…risky, don't you think?"

She blushed even harder, her light skin burning up with it. "Oh, but Anna, he's so sweet, and suave, and he dresses so well…"

"It's a good thing that the Army Class A's have some blue in them, eh? Oh, are you going to try and kiss him?"

Mary definitely looked like she wanted to. "I don't know, are you going to try and kiss _Cormac_?"

"I just met the man, Mary!" I exclaimed, grabbing my black wrap to put over my bare shoulders until we got out of the cold. "Well, I guess I'll just take my own carriage up. You and James need to take one, since you're going together."

"Is McLaggen not picking you up here?" she asked, confusion in her pretty eyes.

"I told him to meet me in the front room. You do know how I love to make a grand entrance!"

"That you do," Mary said with a chuckle. "That you do…"

When Viktor first saw her, walking down the stairs, he knew that he had made the right choice in his partner. She was wearing a very pretty and flattering pink dress, her brown hair up in tresses that fell around her face. She was just…beautiful. He took her hand and led her around the entrance hall.

"_Oh l__á__ l__á_!" came a voice, and he turned to see the man named Jason standing there with the Beauxbatons woman who had called out. "Your seester…she eez _beautiful_, Jaysoon!"

Viktor turned his eyes from his date to see a stunning picture of beautiful fire standing in the doorway, her hair falling down around her hips in long waves, framing her entire curved body. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen…

_Wait, **sister**?_ he wondered, looking at the scowling man who had his arm around the blonde's shoulder. "I swear, she tests me…I have half a mind to tell our dad what dress she's wearing." _He's her **brother**!_

"Wow," Hermione said, her lips in a smile. "Leigh Ann is really beautiful."

"So are you," he said to her, trying to return his attention to the woman who was actually his date. After all, he had asked her before that, and had gotten a flat-out rejection.

"_Leahn…may I speak to you?"_

_She stopped and looked at him, seeming frazzled and confused. "Um…sure. But make it quick, because I've got to go get my ribs bandaged again." He could tell that she was in pain. _

"_I joost vanted to say, that your performance vith the dragoons…it vas very good." _He remembered thinking what an idiotic thing it was to say.

_Leigh Ann looked very confused. "Um…thanks? I guess it didn't help that I got clobbered at the end, but, yeah, thanks." Just the fact that she'd gotten up after the dragon had hit her was something that made him want to get closer to her. He also knew that it was dangerous to do so._

"_They should not half taken off points for that. It vas after you had already gotten the egg!" _He remembered thinking that he already knew what was in it, and wondering if she had yet.

"_Yeah, the egg…listen, thanks for the praise, Viktor, but I have to go."_

"_Vait!" She stopped, looking a little nervous. "I vas…I vas vondering—" He had to take a deep breath before he continued. Why couldn't he talk to her? She was just—a—girl. "Vould you like to _accoompany_ me to the Yule Ball?"_

_Leigh Ann looked like she had just seen a Dementor floating behind him. She was speechless for a moment, before loosing the look and slowly saying, "You…want…_me_… to go with you to the Yule Ball."_

_Well, she wasn't yelling or screaming. "Yes."_

_She let out a large breath of air, rubbing her hand over her face. "Viktor, first of all, we're both Champions. I don't think that we can go with each other."_

"_But—"_

"Second_ of all, I don't _want _to go with you. You're just this famous guy looking for attention, and apparently you're liking all of this _'Hunky, Bon-Bon Bulgarian Seeker' _crap, because I haven't seen you tearing up a single one of those papers you read in the library every time you're in there!"_

_For some reason, he felt..._rejected. _"Leahn, it's not—"_

"_It is! I don't know what makes you think you're so special, just because you have hundreds of thousands of fans watching you, a stick in between your legs, and a ball to catch in front of you. So leave me alone, because I can't stand men like you!"_

He hadn't even had the time for her to explain, but he had seen a lot of pain in her eyes before she had walked away, and he could have sworn he'd heard crying when he tried to follow her, but she'd gone into a bathroom.

_I want to know what that pain is,_ he thought, remembering his own pain at the sharpness of her words, watching her on the arm of a man he knew to play Quidditch in Gryffindor. His black robes had red accents to match her beautiful, form-fitting dress, and she had chosen shoes to make sure that she was still shorter than him. He was very tall, burly, with curly dirty blonde hair and a strong-jawed face.

And at the moment, he looked very full of himself.

"Champions, over here, please!" Professor McGonagall called, and I walked over to see that she was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather…strange… wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat.

She told us to wait on the right side of the doors while everyone else went inside; we were going to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Captain, were the closest to the doors, and the man looked like he could hardly take his eyes off of her.

Cedric had a very pretty Asian woman whom I knew to be on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team to hang on his arm, and she smiled beautifully at him. Harry was standing next to a very pretty Indian girl, who looked very proud to be going with him. I knew she was Gryffindor, having talked to her before.

And then there was Viktor. I wasn't surprised to see that Hermione was standing next to him beautifully, perhaps being the most beautiful out of all the girls in the room. I was happy for her, telling myself that even if Krum _was_ full of himself, he wouldn't hurt her. And besides, I couldn't wait to see the look on Harry's and Ron's faces as they saw her walking in with Viktor Krum.

The doors opened, and in an instant there were gasps and applause. My brother was looking at me as if he could murder me, and Krum's fan girls looked like they could kill Hermione, and a bunch of Marines were looking at me as if they had never seen a woman.

But other than all of those things, I felt fine.

We were led up to a large round table at the top of the hall, where the judges were sitting. The walls of the Hall had been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished;; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

When we got to the table, a red-headed man in the place of Mr. Crouch beckoned Harry over—was he another Weasley? I wasn't sure. Harry and that man were in deep conversation, and Cedric and Cho were making lovey-dovey eyes at each other, and Fleur was talking, while Roger Davies just stared at her, not taking in a word.

I was starting to feel bored with the "Hundred Great Saves Made by Cormac McLaggen" going on beside me. Just as I had feared, he wouldn't let me get a single word in and talked all about himself, all while he stared at my chest. I put my wrap back on, feigning chills.

Meanwhile, beside me, I overheard Hermione and Viktor talking.

"Vell, ve half a castle also, not as big as this, no as comfortable, I am thinking. Ve half just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve half grounds larger even than these—though in vinter we have very little day-light, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains—"

"Now now, Viktor," Igor said with a laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!"

"Igor," the General said with a twinkle in his eyes, "don't you think that all this secrecy is a little overboard? Anyone is welcome to come visit the Academy."

"One would almost think you didn't want visitors," Dumbledore said, sharing a look between himself and the General.

"Well, Dumbledore," Karkaroff said, displaying his yellow teeth, "we are all protective of our private domains, are we not? Do we not jealously guard the halls of learning that have been entrusted to us? Are we not right to be proud that we alone know our school's secrets, and right to protect them?"

Dumbledore had a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor. Only this morning, I took a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room ad vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning, or it may only appear at the quarter moon—or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder."

Meanwhile, Fleur was criticizing the Hogwarts school, and I listened in. "Zis is nothing. At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas. Zey do not melt, of course…ze are like 'uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place. And ze food is seemply superb. And we 'ave choirs of wood nymphs, 'oo serentade us as we eat. We 'ave none of zis ugly armor in ze 'alls, and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, 'e would be expelled like _zat_." She slapped her hand onto the table impatiently.

"Well," I said, narrowing my eyes at her, "I would _love_ if a poltergeist came into the Academy and riled some things up. No offense, General."

"None taken, Second Lieutenant."

"And what ees wiz ze _ranks_?" Fleur asked snootily, glaring at me.

"Well, its how we keep track of our years, and its much like the real military in America. We train, we keep in shape—or try to, as you can see—and because we have nine years, we try to make sure that everyone is easily categorized. We have four "houses", to use Hogwarts terms, and an Officer for each year past the Fifth Year. I'm the Fifth Year Officer, and my brother, somewhere in a corner making goo-goo with a girl from Beauxbatons, is the Seventh Year Officer. For you boys from Hogwarts, think of it like Prefects, but there are even more of them, one Officer for each year past Fifth in each Branch."

"I'm curious," the pretty girl with Harry said, leaning in and listening intently. "What is America like? And the Academy?"

"Well, for one thing, we call 'snoggin'' kissin'. And we drive on the right side of the road, with the steerin' wheel in the left side of the car. Your "football" is our soccer, and we have a different game we call football. People have all kinds of different accents. You hear mine? It's called a Southern belle accent, or at least that's what the Yankees call it. Err—a Yankee is someone from the North. Uh—Kentucky and up? Well, anyways, I'm from South Carolina. In big cities up North, some people have faster speakin' ways, and pronounce things differently. Its like a different world in each part of the US.

"And the Academy—it's wonderful! All stainless steel and bright whites, spick and span! If you ever saw it, you'd think it was some brand new college for technologies. We can actually use electronics inside, though it's frowned upon. We have massive amounts of rolling hills, with a dock straight to the ocean that no muggle can get to or see, where the Navy stays. The Air Force keeps at least four planes and helicopters on the grounds at all time, in their hanger that takes up a _lot _of room. We, the Army, have barracks, and the Officers have their own rooms at the back. We try to make it a lot like basic trainin'. The Marines, the lucky bas—sorry, sir," I said, looking up the General with apologetic eyes. "You know my feelings about the Marines."

"Respect your fellow soldiers," he said with a small laugh.

"The Marines get lodges, like log houses, but with everythin' you can imagine inside. They're completely spoiled rotten, if you don't mind my sayin', sir."

"Not at all, Nelson. Not at all."

"I manage the Quidditch pitch, making sure that nothin' happens to it. Once, two years ago, we had to use the Quidditch pitch for—what was it, sir? A race?"

"Yes, Nelson."

"Yeah, a race, and my poor field had to be torn up! It took me weeks to put it back the way I had it. We don't have a lake, since we have the ocean next to us, but it is really beautiful. Patches of trees, small parks, the cutest little animals you could ever see…"

"Considering that you think that a 'cute little animal' is a Thestral, Second Lieutenant, I'd hate to see what you think a dangerous one is," my General said, winking at me playfully. I had to laugh.

"And it's just…amazing." I turned to Fleur and smiled prettily at her. "Does that explain your question, _Mademoiselle_ Delacour?"

She just glared at me and turned back to her date. The Indian girl, on the other hand, was entranced. "That's amazing! I've always wanted to visit. My sister and I, after we graduate, plan on visiting each of the continents. So, of course, we'd visit America."

"The North can be pretty rude, but so can some cities in the South. I'd suggest Texas, or Louisiana. Ooh! Louisiana during Mardi-gras! Make sure you send a letter to me when you go, because I still haven't been and I _live_ in America." Somewhere during my monologue, Cormac turned away.

_Finally,_ I thought, watching McLaggen turn his attention to the redhead and Harry, talking Quidditch. Hermione was now teaching Krum to say her name properly. He kept calling her "Hermy-own."

"Her-my-oh-nee," she said, slowly and clearly.

"Herm-own-ninny."

"Close enough," she said, catching my eye and grinning, then looking to Harry.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls, leaving the floor clear, and he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

A band was walking onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been ripped and torn.

"Who are they?" I asked, completely clueless, to Cormac.

He looked at me as if I had suddenly grown two heads. "You don't know who the Weird Sisters are?"

"Apparently not," I mumbled, taking his arm and walking to the center of the hall. Cormac put his hand on my waist, slightly lower than it should have been, and held my other hand that wasn't on his shoulder in his. "I warn you," I said as the band counted the beats, "I'm not the best of dancers."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine," he said appreciatively, his body pressed a little too close to mine.

The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune, and we started to dance. _One two three, one two three, one two three, one two three…_ We moved forwards, backwards, changing our hand positions, like we were supposed to, though when McLaggen had to pick me up, it hurt my ribs a little and I winced. _At least he can pick me up, though._

Soon, people started joining us. I could see Neville and Ginny somewhere close by, and Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime. Mad-Eye Moody was doing some strange two-step with Professor Sinstra, and Fred and Angelina were dancing with a group of people I knew. I wanted to laugh when I saw the General dancing with Professor McGonagall.

Though suddenly Harry left the floor, and McLaggen was starting to drag me off. "Oh, but wait, I know this song! It's the cover for—"

"Just wait, I think you'll like this…" There was a small balcony off the back, where kids could go for a walk in the garden.

"Yes, it's beautiful, Cormac," I said, turning to look at him. "But what does it have to do with missing the d—?" I was interrupted when he put his hands on my waist and pulled me closer.

"Look up," he said softly, his eyes not leaving mine.

I did, to see that there was— _Oh, Merlin, mistletoe._

"You gotta kiss me, Leigh," he said seductively, giving me a sly smirk. "It's tradition."

_Oh, Lord, please help me…_

**Viktor Krum**

Viktor leaned down to kiss Hermione's hand, smiling at her. She had been a good choice for a date - she was pretty, danced well, and he hadn't been bored, either. She smiled back and flounced over to where Harry Potter and the Weasley fellow was, and he walked off to get drinks. There, at the table, he saw a very hassled-looking Leigh Ann, trying to hide.

"Leahn," he said, surprised to see her. In fact, he felt slightly uncomfortable seeing her with her hair messed and her lips swollen as if they'd been kissed properly...and long. "Vhat are you—?"

"Shhh!" she scolded, pulling him over to be in front of her. Her warm hands on his arms made him even more uncomfortable. "I've finally gotten rid of—err, I mean, Cormac had to take a walk. To find me. But—don't tell him you saw me."

"Something is wrong?" he asked, feeling a little uneasy with the way she was looking around, as if something would pop out randomly to snatch her up. He also felt uneasy about being _around_ her. He didn't know if he could control himself when she looked like that.

"Cormac—damn man can't keep his hands to himself. I swear, if he looks at me like I'm some kind of meal again I'm going to hit him where the sun don't shine."

Viktor had to laugh at the way she said that, but then he realized what she had said. "Has he taken advantage?" He would have taken advantage had he been in the same place. He just hadn't had the opportunity.

"Of course not, but I'm not liking this." She sighed and leaned against the pillar she'd hidden behind, rubbing the back of her neck. He smelled the musky perfume she'd put on and tried to keep his eyes from raking her body. "I think…I'll turn in. And he hasn't even let me dance…"

_Damn! _He couldn't believe that this beautiful woman hadn't even been able to dance! Who wouldn't want to hold her against their body to feel those luscious curves? "I could ask Herm-own-ninny if I could dance just vun vith you." _Just one? I'll have to control myself through the first thirty seconds!_

Her eyes were instantly hesitant. "I…I couldn't, Krum." _Of course you couldn't._

"_He_—no, I vant you to enjoy yourself. It vill noot be a prooblem. You said you vanted to dance, _da_?" He could already feel the excitement building up inside of him.

"Well yeah, but—"

"Vell theen, ve vill dance. Vait here."

"Wait—_Krum!_" she cried irritably. He left her standing there, dumbstruck and irritated, and quickly made his way over to Hermione with their drinks. "Herm-own-ninny," he said, seeing that she was slightly upset. _I do have a date. _Why did he feel guilty? _Damn!_ "Vhat is vong?"

"N-nothing," she said, taking a deep breath. "Just Ron being a prat."

"I am sorry." He gave her the drink he had gotten, and she sipped it, thanking him. "Herm-own-ninny, my friend—she is not halfing a good time. Her date vill not dance vith her. May I?"

Hermione just smiled softly, reaching down to squeeze his hand. "You don't have to ask, Viktor. Of course you can."

Viktor bowed to her, kissed her hand again, and left to go back and find Leigh Ann. What he found was her glaring angrily at the man—Cormac McLaggen—who had his hands on her hips. He was saying something low, under his breath to her.

"Excuse me," Viktor said, putting a hand on Cormac's arm and turning him around. He had to control himself not to throw a punch in the boy's face. "I half promised this lady a dance."

"In a moment," the Keeper said, turning back to Leigh Ann. "Now look, babe, just _think_ about it…"

"If you ask me again, I'm leavin' right this moment," she said, angry tears in her pretty hazel eyes. "And don't touch me, either!" She threw off the boy's arms and grabbed Viktor's, making an involuntary smirk come onto his face. _Ah, so she has chosen. _"Come on, Krum, let's dance since this buffoon can't even think of anything but neckin'."

He didn't ask what it was until they were already on the floor. She put both of her arms on his shoulders, grabbing her wrist behind his neck. He hesitantly put his hands on her waist, unsure of what she would consider "taking advantage." He wanted to hold those round hips and pull them closer.

Actually, he wanted to grab those hips, throw her over his shoulder, and make his way to his room so he could take off that dress and see what was underneath that she hid under all of those clothes. He actually had to clear his throat to think of something else. "Vhat is _necking_?"

"Neckin'?" she asked, blushing. Her eyes went darker every time she blushed, he noticed, but when she wore red, her eyes were a bright yellow. "K-kissin'. Snoggin'. Whatever you want to call it."

"You are very beautiful," Viktor said, making the blush appear even in her neck. He pictured himself lowering his head to touch his lips right against the hollow of her throat and hearing what kind of sexy little moan she had. But, for the moment, he settled with moving closer, her breasts gently brushing against his chest. "And beautiful vomen should not be treated this vay."

She blushed and tried to put distance between them, but he lowered his hands to her hips and pulled her a little closer. He noticed that her pink blush fell even on top of her breasts. _Ah, you are so beautiful! _"I should have just gone with Fred."

Viktor found this strange. "The skinny Veasley?" He'd seen two of them, both of them being twins. He didn't see Leigh Ann as wanting tall, thin redheads.

"One of the twins, yeah. But at least I would have had fun with him, instead of having to run from the man who invited me." She sighed and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. Her breath gently tickled his chest through his top, which he'd unbuttoned a little after all of the dancing. Now, her body was pushed against his in such an intimate way, that...

He had to clear his throat again. It took almost too much strength to keep from touching her or kissing her. "It…vill be alright."

She laughed, and the sound was melodic to his ears. "Not really, because my brother is going to rub this in my face for the rest of the year. He told me I should have gone with Fred in the first place."

Viktor squeezed her hips slightly - he was happy to hear that her breath hitch. _Ah, it would seem that I've not lost my touch._ With Leigh Ann, he'd done everything he'd done with the other women, but she hadn't budged. "He is your broother—he is allowed to do so, _da_?" _And thank Merlin he is your brother! _He couldn't believe that he'd actually thought that Jason was her boyfriend!

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." She then looked up, her eyes slightly red rimmed, as if she were about to cry. He got a feeling in the pit of his stomach, like he wanted to hug her. "Do…you have siblings?"

He had to stop himself from snorting in mock laughter. "_He_—no, _defeeneetely_ not." His parents had barely wanted him. All they needed was a male heir. He wasn't about to tell her that, though.

"Oh." She looked over his shoulder, seeming a little stiff at first but then slowly relaxing as the song progressed.

"And you?" _Besides your brother?_

She smiled - one of the first true smiles all night. "Yes. My brother, Jason, and then my little sister Jessica is still back in America, at the Academy. My mom just had another one of us. Her name is Nicole, one of the most adorable newborns you've ever seen."

From the way she was speaking, he felt that she cared deeply for them. "You like children?" He could instantly picture her in a kitchen - it may or may not have been his grandmother's that he was picturing - with a round belly as she cooked for the large family she'd already created.

"I love them," she sighed, her eyes twinkling happily. "Sometimes I want to _strangle_ Jessica and Jason until their eyes bug out, but they're still my siblings. My mom always said that I was going to be the one to give her grandchildren first, but…" Leigh looked over to one of the other couples on the dance floor, seeing that Jason and his female partner from Beauxbatons were dancing much slower than any of the others, their heads close together, talking in whispers to one another. "I'm not so sure anymore. When he said that he thought he loved her, I thought he was jestin' with me. Now, I don't think he was."

"You vant children." He said this as a statement, and knew, just because of the way she spoke of them. He had never asked himself if he'd wanted children. The act in making them was his forte, but actually producing a child?

"Yup. A houseful," she said with a faraway smile, as if imagining it. "A bunch of little girls like my mother, and a handful of little boys that act like my father. Well…maybe not," she said, smiling even wider, as if picturing a bunch of her little fathers. "I'd have a handful with that bunch."

Viktor suddenly felt very attracted to this woman, not just physically, but emotionally. Even though she usually bit his head off every time he got near, yelled at him, flat out refused him…he still wanted to know her - he still wanted _her_. She put up the longest battle he'd ever fought in, but he realized that, in order for him to see if he wanted a woman, he had to keep fighting.

He was sure that, after he broke her down, she would looked beautiful in the throws of passion.

"Ah…thanks," she said suddenly, not able to look at him.

"For vhat?"

"For getting me away from that psycho. And…for dancing with me," she said softly, finally looking up into his eyes. Hers were beautifully topaz, with little flecks of olive green around the brightest light from the center. "I thought that I would be able to dance all night. Guess not. But, I do have to say, that you would have been a lot more fun than McLaggen."

Viktor pulled a hand from her waist to reach up and gently tilt her chin up a little more. He was so tempted to pull her closer that he started to - before he remembered why he was dancing with her in the first place. "Then you should have coome vith me," he growled, slightly more predatory-sounding than he would have liked.

She held no fear in her eyes, only a glare that he'd seen many, many times. "Krum, I _told _you—"

"I am _Viktor_! Vhy vill you not call me that?" He then looked away from her eyes and over her dark, bare shoulder, to see Hermione smiling at them. He gave an irritable sigh and tried to relax his body. He couldn't be angry with her. Although it was partially her fault for making him so frustrated, he knew that, with her, he'd have to be gentle. It wasn't exactly a conquest to him anymore - more like a point to prove to himself. "It vould half been fine. I asked _Doombledoore_ before I asked you."

Her entire face was red, as was her neck, and the tops of her breasts. Seeing her proved wrong was attracting - the face she made was priceless. "I-I…I didn't know. But…my…I mean…" She sighed and shook her head, looking away. "It's a long story, and this song isn't long enough."

In fact, the song was just getting finished. He let go of her slowly, hesitantly, and took her hand. He kissed her knuckles softly, reveling in the soft feel of her fingers. "I hope to hear it sometime."

"Maybe," she said softly, looking away from him. "Maybe…"

He then bowed to her and slowly walked over to Hermione. Apparently Leigh Ann was right behind him, because Hermione then said, "Thank you for the book," and hugged the gorgeous brunette. "It was wonderful."

Leigh smiled, confusion in her hazel eyes. "You've read it already?"

"Well, you know me…"

She laughed, holding both of Hermione's hands in hers. "And I thank you, for the two-way mirror. Next time I see my dad, I'm giving it to him. I just can't stand not seeing him…"

"I know, Anna. That's why I gave it to you."

Leigh wiped a tear from her eye. "You look beautiful."

"So do you!"

The girls sniffed and hugged each other again. Viktor felt slightly out of his comfort zone. _Girls…why do they cry? They are happy!_

Viktor shook his head, knowing that he would never fully understand the female mind.

* * *

**Well, I hope you liked it! I did, quite a bit, actually(; It was really fun to write!**


	13. Aunt Taylor, Journalist Extraordinaire!

**I don't know how I came up with this chapter, but I LOVE it! Just saying.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter. And I am not a Lockheart.**

* * *

**Make that More on an Already Full Plate, Aunt Tay**

"_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour-long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour—the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."_

"What does it _mean_…?" I asked aloud, pushing my hair out of my face as I surfaced near the Navy dock. I held the now-closed egg against my chest, resting one arm on the dock and taking deep breaths so that I could go under once more to listen to it again.

_Merpeople can't sing above the ground…and they'll take something I'll sorely miss,_ I guessed wildly. _ I'll get an hour, but after that, it's going to be gone._

So what would I sorely miss, besides one of my friends or someone from my family? They wouldn't take someone from our families…would they? Not without telling us.

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to relax. _I'll figure this out…I know I will._

The next two months passed slowly, with little to no help on what my "sorely missed" object could be. I still hadn't gotten word from my dad, and even mom's handwriting had become more frantic; there was more than one hole in the parchment with each new letter.

**He'll be okay, sweetheart. I know it. If something were wrong, don't you think I'd feel it? So I hope you don't listen to that crazy Skeeter woman, saying all of those things about you and him and me. We go way back, and I have a wonderful way of getting her back, believe you me. And your friend Hermione sounds wonderful, so of course I don't believe a single word Rita says. Pretty soon she'll get what's coming to her. Just keep on thinking about your task, and know that I'm thinking about you always.**

After that last article, about me, Viktor, Harry, and Hermione in some kind of love square, I couldn't look Viktor in the eye. I had no idea how she had heard about me wanting children, and having talked to Viktor about it. Somehow she also knew that Viktor had asked me first, to go to the Ball, and she had gotten around to some kind of rant about me and Hermione being back-stabbing friends and that I was making enemies with all of the women at the school.

"Just don't listen to her," Hermione had said earlier. "We know we're friends, and that there's no strange love triangle—"

"Square. There's four of us."

"You know what I mean! I'm saying that we know it isn't true, so that's all that matters!"

I had shook my head at her. "We know that, but no one over in America who is readin' this junk knows. I'd hate to see what my younger friends at the Academy are sayin'…"

"If they're your real friends, they wouldn't think that any of this was true and would say nothing."

"You sound like my mom, now."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, just walking through the corridors as I thought of a way that I could crack the code of the egg. _ I can't let any of this get to me. As it is, I'm going grey at 17._ It was then that I saw Cedric standing in the hallway, looking every which way. And when he saw me, his smile widened and he ran my way.

"Hey, Diggory," I said, with a small smile on my face. He looked a little bedraggled, but that was to be expected when the Second Task was less than a week away. "What do you need?"

"There's someone waiting for you in the Astronomy tower with Professor Sinistra. Says she's related to you, and something about journalism. I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but apparently you do."

I smiled up at him, feeling free for the first time in the last few days. If this meant what I thought it meant… "Thanks, Diggory. I'll go see her."

"I didn't say it was a woman, but you're right," he said, a confused look o his handsome, boyish face. "How'd you know?"

"I'll tell you in a little, Digg. I have to go meet her now."

As soon as I turned a corner, I started running in a very un-ladylike way in my second best uniform, surprisingly doing well in not tripping with my heels on. The stairs to the Astronomy tower soon left me breathless, but I quickly climbed the last tower to see that a tall, thin, beautiful black woman was blocking my way. She looked like she would normally be very serious, but at the moment she was smiling.

"As I was telling you, Taylor, the kids are nothing but wonderful. I've never seen such well-behaved children from anywhere, not even here at Hogwarts!"

"Well, Aurora," said a very familiar voice, "the Academy of Magic _is_ a little old-schooled. And Durmstrang is all men, who think that being a gentleman will get most of these women to like them. Beauxbatons, though, they seem like they would be a little stuck-up."

I cleared my throat to get their attention. "Excuse me? I heard that there was someone up here who wanted to see me?"

The woman whom Professor Sinistra had been talking to stepped forwards, to where I could see her. She was short and petite, with pale, freckled skin and short strawberry blonde hair. As always, my Aunt Taylor was dressed strangely but impeccably, with a fedora on her hat and a pencil behind her ear. A large camera smoked around her neck.

"Annie-Bug!" she cried, opening her arms and rushing forwards to hug me. "I've missed you so much!"

The camera made the hug awkward, but it was fine. "Good to see you too, Aunt Taylor. Now, don't mind me askin', but what are you doin' here?" I took in a deep breath when she released me. She may have been very, very small, but she had a grip like an Acromantula.

Her green eyes sparkled mischievously as she looked at me. "I've come to visit my old colleague, Rita Skeeter. Don't you remember what your mother said in her last letter?"

It took a second, but finally I remembered, and the spark must have shown on my face because Taylor smiled even wider. "But…what are _you_ going to do about the lies she's been writin'?"

"First of all, those lies are so far-fetched, I don't even think Hades's three-headed dog would be able to bring them close to being the truth. Second of all, I'm a journalist, Anna, not a Professor. I can write whatever I want about the Tournament and not get in trouble, and slander her name at the same time."

Did I ever mention how much I loved my family? Taylor Reynolds was the third child of my pureblood grandparents, my mother being the second, and we were six years apart.

"What are you goin' to write about her?" I asked, watching as Professor Sinistra smiled and left us alone. "I mean, you can't _really _slander her name."

"She's slandering yours, so why can't I slander hers?" Aunt Taylor asked, wrapping her arm around my shoulder and looking out onto the grounds with me. "I was thinking about taking interviews and pictures for Witches and Wizards United and making you all out to be wonderful people, killing a few of her lies as I go. Does that sound good to you?"

"Uh…"

_**The Next Day...**_

"So, I know who two of you are, but the other three of you will have to tell me your names."

I blushed down to my toes, wondering how my so-well-taught Aunt couldn't know who Viktor Krum was. Then again, I remembered that she'd never even watched her own sister playing when they were younger, and that she hated every sport unless it involved reading.

"Fleur Delacour."

"Cedric Diggory."

"Harry Potter."

"No, no, I know who you are, Harry, I'm talking about the Durmstrang Champion."

Was I beet red? "Oh," Viktor said, a little dumbfounded. "My name is Viktor Krum."

"Ahh. Okay. Now, whom shall we start with…?"

When meeting these Champions, who are no more than kids, I was worried at first. I had never thought that any child should be put into danger, and therefore none should participate in these tasks. After all, people have died in these contests before, which was the reason they were discontinued! The First Task, which had been the children against full-grown, nesting dragons, ended with world-renowned, (other than to this sport-deprived reporter,) Durmstrang Champion Viktor Krum, and the even more world-renowned Hogwarts Champion, Harry Potter, in first, tied. In second was Hogwarts's own Cedric Diggory, and the American Academy of Magic's Second Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson, my niece. In last place, not too far behind everyone else, was Beauxbatons's Champion, Fleur Delacour, the wily one-fourth Veela from France.

At first, when meeting some of these Champions, one would think of nothing but moody teenagers who were put into a competition way over their heads. But once this reporter got to know them better, _she_ knew better.

Miss Fleur Delacour, Champion of Beauxbatons, is a beautiful young seventeen-year-old girl with determination and a gleam in her pretty blue eyes that shows that she knows more than she lets on. In this reporter's interview, she shows that this Champion has a different way of thinking, but a good example of what different minds think.

_**Interview with Fleur Delacour (Translated as Well as Possible)**_

**TB:** So, Fleur, what do you have to say about this competition? Is it too old-fashioned? Difficult?

**FD:** No, Mrs. Reynolds, it is not. There are many examples of this. For the first task, fighting the dragons not only showed strength and agility, but strategy, cunning. These are things that every good wizard needs. Difficult, yes, because everyone will have something difficult in their life to pass over.

**TB:** And how did you feel whenever you were called to be the Beauxbatons Champion?

**FD: **I knew that I would get it, simple as that. I am the best in my class, as well as the most cunning. Determination is key.

**TB:** I only have one more question for you, Fleur: what about Rita Skeeter, and her words on the so-called "rivalry" between you and the Academy's Champion, Leigh Ann Nelson?

**FD:** _Rivalry_? Oh, no. We simply started off on the wrong feet, _oui_? I was upset that the Academy was allowed into the _Tri_wizard Tournament, when three other schools were already in it. Then again, none of us really know which three schools were in it first.

**TB: **Then there's no competition between you two for Viktor Krum?

**FD:** Oh, no! Not at all! Viktor, he has been around Veela since he was born, and resists all charms. I knew that since I first met him. And Leigh Ann, I don't think she likes him very much, not at all. We are starting to have a, as you say, begrudging relationship. Slowly but surely, _oui_?

**TB:** Well, thank you, Fleur. I hope to talk to you more over the next few days.

**FD:** A pleasure.

Mr. Cedric Diggory, first Champion of Hogwarts, is a handsome seventeen-year-old man, who is one of the kindest men that this reporter has ever met. Sweet and a complete gentleman, Cedric had no problem answering questions.

_**Interview with Cedric Diggory**_

**TB:** Tell me, Cedric, what is your view on the competition and how well they preformed in the first task?

**CD: **Very, very tough. The first task went over well, with only one major injury, though it shouldn't have happened. Leigh Ann would have been the best in the Task, but the dragon wasn't put down quick enough and she got hurt _after_ she got the egg. I—

**TB: **Egg?

**CD: **Oh, sorry. The goal was to steal the golden egg that the dragon was guarding.

**TB: **Thank you for explaining. Sorry for interrupting, please continue.

**CD: **Anyways, as I was saying, I was very surprised with Fleur, who used a simple sleeping spell to put the dragon to sleep, but points were taken off when it let out a jet of flame and caught her skirt on fire. Viktor, he blinded the dragon, but it started flailing and crushed some of the eggs, again, getting points taken off. Harry, now, he was against the worst dragon possible, and that was the Hungarian Horntail. He used a summoning charm to bring his broomstick to the arena, and the dragon chased him all around the grounds. In the end he won, though, tied with Viktor. I am tied in second with Leigh Ann, and Fleur is in last at the moment, though not far behind.

**TB: **Wow, thanks, Cedric! One last question. What do you think about having Harry in the tournament, being the _second_ Hogwarts Champion?

**CD: **It was a little disappointing, you know? I expected more out of the age line, and more from _him_. But Harry's a good guy. He couldn't have put his name in the Goblet of Fire, he's too young, and he's too good of a person.

**TB: **Thank you, Cedric, for this look into the First Task and your view on Harry Potter.

**CD: **Thanks for a truthful interview, Mrs. Reynolds!

Harry Potter, the second Hogwarts Champion, is a very sweet boy. From any impression, not even the first, one would see that he hasn't let his fame get anywhere near his cute little head. In fact, he seems less-than enthusiastic about being in the competition. Read in on his interview.

_**Interview with Harry Potter**_

**TB: **So, Harry, I don't want to jump to conclusions about how you got into the competition, but was it you who put your name in?

**HP: **No, I did not. And I'm sorry if I sound angry, but I doubt that you have any idea how many times I've been asked that question.

**TB: **I take it that you don't want to be in the competition, then.

**HP:** Truthfully, no. There was an age line for a reason, and Cedric's name was drawn. He deserves to be the Champion, the _only_ one. I mean, yeah, I thought about how interesting it would be to participate, but in the end, this Tournament is dangerous.

**TB: **Thank you for your truthfulness, Harry. Could you answer one more question for me?

**HP: **Sure.

**TB:** What is this love "square" with you, one classmate, Miss Hermione Granger, my niece, Leigh Ann Nelson, and one of your competitors, Viktor Krum?

**HP: **Oh, bugger—there is no love square! Hermione is one of my closest friends, and Leigh Ann—you said she was your niece?—she's a good friend, too. She stood up for me when everyone started wearing the "Support Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter Stinks" badges. She wouldn't let anyone in the Academy wear them, and she stood up for me when people started flashing them.

**TB:** Leigh Ann always was one to stick up for someone telling the truth, when no one else believed them.

**HP: **So you believe me?

**TB: **You're only a Fourth Year, Harry. And I know that you're a very competent wizard, but Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards in the world. One can't hoodwink such an object at your age.

**HP: **Err—thanks?

**TB: **Don't worry, Harry, it's a compliment, coming from me. Thank you for being in this interview.

**HP: **Hey, you're more truthful than Rita Skeeter, so I'm glad to be in it!

**TB: **Oh, she isn't truthful?

**HP:** I guess you can say that she takes the slightest truth, and then pulls it way out of proportion. She made up this entire article about how I cry myself to sleep thinking about my parents. I miss them dearly, yes, but I know that they loved me and would want me to move on, and live my life. Yes, I still think about them, and yeah, it makes me sad. But I can't live my life in sadness all the time. I've got to look forwards, and be happy whenever I can.

**TB: ** Thank you for that thrilling interview, Harry. I'm so glad to know that at least one person can find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Viktor Krum, Champion of Durmstrang…what can this reporter say of him? That she felt slightly ashamed that she didn't know who he was? Possibly. But he is a nice boy. Dark and moody, but nice, and he seems to be one to not care about his fame. Read in on our interview!

_**Interview with Viktor Krum (Translated as Well as Possible)**_

**TB:** So, Viktor, my readers and I are dying to know, what is your view of being the Champion for Durmstrang?

**VK: **I am very honored to be in this tournament. It is as if being normal for once, _da_?

**TB: ** You_ want_ to be normal? And yet you're a famous Seeker for Bulgaria? I don't understand. Would you give up your position on the team just to be normal?

**VK: **_He_—no! Quidditch is my life. As long as there are people like you, Ms. Reynolds, who do not know who I am, I will always want to play.

**TB: **Sorry about that, by the way.

**VK: **It is not a problem at all. But the way Rita Skeeter has put it, I am letting all of fame go to head. But she is the one thinking that I enjoy all of fame. Just because I am "Viktor Krum, Seeker for Bulgarian National Quidditch Team and Champion." There was also something about a Bon-Bon Hunk, but I do not remember winning such a title. I told Ms. Skeeter that at the moment, I only wanted to be Viktor Krum, Durmstrang student and Champion for my school, nothing more. And I still do.

**TB: **One more question, then. What do _you _think of the so-called "rivalry" and "relationship" between the two women in the Tournament and yourself?

**VK: **There is no relationship between me and the two women. And as for a rivalry, Leigh Ann and Fleur may only wish to have one woman in the Tournament, or it could be the fact that Fleur believes that The American Academy should not be in the Triwizard Tournament.

**TB: **She's said this out loud, or is this speculation?

**VK: **I do not know what "speculation" is, but she has said this out loud, with scathing look to Miss Nelson.

**TB: **And the love "square" between you, Miss Hermione Granger, Mr. Harry Potter, and Leigh Ann?

**VK:** Well, I went with Hermione to the Yule Ball, and danced with Leigh Ann when her date would not. Friendly. About what is between Harry and Hermione, I am not sure. They are friends, or are they more?

**TB: **Are you and my niece on a first name basis already, Mr. Krum?

**VK:** She calls me by last name, as always. She does not seem to like me very much.

**TB: **Leigh Ann has always been competitive. So, what do you think of the Tournament so far?

**VK: **Good competition, and difficult tasks. The golden egg we got from the first task, it is a puzzle, and we are not to have help on it. If we figure it out, we will know what to expect next week for Second Task.

**TB: **I see. And Harry Potter?

**VK: **A boy. Later, will be good wizard. Now, too young. I would like to see him three years older.

**TB: **Well, it was wonderful talking to you, Viktor. Thank you for this interview.

**VK:** And it was a pleasure talking to Leigh Ann's aunt.

Second Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nicole, Champion for The American Academy of Magic and Terry Reynolds's own niece. She's a sweet girl, who stands up for those who are smaller and weaker than her. Even the other champions, who are her rivals, are still her friends.

_**Interview with Leigh Ann Nelson**_

**TB: **Hey, sweetheart, how is the Tournament so far?

**LN:** Oh, Aunt Taylor, don't call me that during our interview please. You're supposed to be a reporter right now, not my aunt.

**TB: **Oops! Sorry, Anna. Anyways, the Tournament?

**LN:** Great times. It really makes you move and think, study harder than you've ever remembered studying. Lots of fun, if not slightly painful.

**TB: **I did hear that you were in the medical ward for a while.

**LN: **The Ukrainian Ironbelly broke one of my ribs, bruising four others. Busted lip, bruised butt bone, and worse, a bruised pride But I got over it. Hey, I'm still in second place, right? That's a good thing.

**TB:** Your mother and I knew you had it in you.

**LN:** Aunt Tay…

**TB: **Oh, right, no personal things. Right. So, what about your competitors?

**LN: **Fleur is smart, if not a little snooty, but I'm sure I'll get to know her better. Cedric is sweet and nice, handsome, too. And Harry is cute and I know he's telling the truth. Viktor, now, I still don't understand him.

**TB: **Why not? Is it because of this so-called "love square" between you, Viktor, Harry, and one Hermione Granger?

**LN:** I'm rolling my eyes now, since your readers can't see that. I'm so tired of this question. No, there is no "love square" between us. Harry is my friend, and so is Hermione, and _they_ are friends. Viktor, he's an okay guy, but I wouldn't backstab a friend for him. Hermione went to the Ball with Viktor, but I only had _one dance_ with the guy, and Viktor asked for permission from Hermione, my _friend_.

**TB:** So you don't like him?

**LN:** I can't not like anyone, Taylor, you know that. It's just...little things he does upset me.

**TB: **Like?

**LN:** This is an interview, not a family chat, so I'm not going to say anything. But anyways, Viktor is a good enough guy. He saved me from my less-than-perfect date, and gave me a dance. He helped me when I hurt myself running, and we've just had some nice talks. He's a...a good guy.

**TB:** Oh. Well, tell me about your fiasco with my old colleague, Rita Skeeter. I've heard that you were quite rude to her.

**LN:** Me, rude to her? She pulled my hair from my beret and forced me to leave it down! And then, when I put it back up, she said, "Well, if you _want_ to look square jawed." That helped my self esteem.

**TB:** And what about your parents, what do they think of all this?

**LN:** My mother, of course, couldn't be prouder, and doesn't believe what Rita said about me being hateful towards her, or the fact that I was disrespectful to my elders. I merely called her ma'am, she called me fat and told me to stop calling her that, so I said that I was brought up to respect my elders.

**TB:** Nice one! And your father?

**LN: **I haven't heard from him in months. I've sent him dozens of letters, but I just…I can't get a hold of him. I hope he's okay. Even Mom's getting worried, and she never gets worried.

**TB: **Ooh, that is bad. Well, I've got to stop this interview, sweetheart. This writing has to be in by five. It was strange to interview you, but still fun.

**LN:** Thanks, Aunt Tay. I agree.

And so, this reporter got the inside scoop on Rita's little lies. There is no "love square" or disrespectfulness from my niece. Viktor Krum doesn't want to be famous all the time, and Fleur Delacour is wonderful company. Cedric Diggory is the sweetest teen I've ever met, and doesn't blame Harry for being in the Tournament. And Harry, he's a strong boy who will be a wonderful wizard when he gets older, if he isn't already.

Taylor Reynolds signs out, promising to keep you in touch on the Triwizard Tournament!

_**Leigh Ann**_

I smiled as I read the interviews, wondering how obvious Viktor could be. At the moment I was standing outside with a few of my friends, though they said that they had to leave. It was the end of January, still cold, but I needed some fresh air that wasn't from the barracks. I folded up the Wizards and Witches of America paper and stuck it in the waistband of my camouflage pants, wondering how I could have such an awesome Aunt.

Suddenly, I heard something. About me, no less, and about that damned article by Rita Skeeter.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" I asked angrily, pulling my pack over my shoulder, trying to situate it better because I had on my camouflage jacket.

The leader who'd said the words was mockingly surprised, standing with maybe five other Durmstrang men. Viktor was one of them, and there was a heated look in his eyes as the man chuckled. "Oh, _soorry_ Mees Neelsoon, you heard that?" He elbowed his team member and chuckled.

I set my jaw and glared daggers. "I _hope_ I didn't hear it."

The man was tall with a small waist and broad shoulders. He had dark, tanned skin and bright yellow eyes below black hair, and those piercing eyes made me want to squirm as if under scrutiny. Everything about him seemed sharp—his cheekbones, his chin, his eyebrows.

He smiled wickedly, showing even sharper teeth. "I do noot knoo, vhat deed you _vant_ to hear?"

"I don't _want_ to hear anythin'," I growled as I glared into his eyes. Those deep, piercing, _frightening_ eyes. "So I suggest you keep your mouth _shut_."

He smirked once more, making a tiny shiver of fear run up my spine. "I veel do vhatever you vant, Mees Neelsoon."

A hot blush appeared in my cheeks, and I was at a loss for a comeback. So I quickly turned on my heel and headed back to the castle, fighting back tears. _I'll…I'll just work on my Study of Ancient Runes homework, in the library…that'll work…_

Suddenly, when I was inside a deserted courtyard inside Hogwarts, I heard a voice. "Vait!"

_UGH! _I felt anger boiling up inside of me. "It's not like I don't have feelings when you and your men say those nasty things." _Not that I can understand them half the time, but I'm sure its horrible!_

"Vhat…?" Viktor Krum asked, a confused and partially insulted look on his face.

I pushed past him, seeing as how he had just caught up with me. "You and the rest of your men just need to leave me the hell _alone_! I'm not like what that damn woman writes. And I'm sick of _you_, most of all, I really am!"

A hand was instantly wrapped around my wrist. "Now vait vun moment!"

And I instantly had my wand right up under his throat, and I was so close to him that I could smell his aftershave. It was dark and musky, but there was also another smell… like… He smelled like Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a Quidditch pitch, and pure, unadulterated male.

I felt my breathing speed up as I looked into his chocolate eyes, saw the powerful jaw coated by a small amount of black fuzz on his strong chin. He wasn't all that handsome, to tell the truth, but it was the dynamic way his eyes stared at you that made your breath hitch. Or maybe it was the strong jaw, or those lips.

"L-let go of me," I said menacingly, forcing myself to ignore the way his smell completely turned me on.

"I vanted to tell you that I deed not say _any _of those things," he said, and even his breath smelled good. I noticed as well that he had a small mole on his right cheek, kind of odd, but kind of cute…

I shook my head back and forth and tried to get him out of my mind. "Maybe not, but you were laughing along with the rest of those vulgar bastards!" _Well—maybe…I don't know, was he?_

"Vill you _stop_ and _listen _to me?" he demanded, and his superior strength scared me for a moment, his nose practically touching mine. "I vill not tolerate—"

"_Ventus_!"

Viktor Krum instantly flew backwards as a large gust of wind threw him away from me. He landed hard enough to give off a _THUD_, making me, for a moment, feel sorry that I had done it. Though, remembering the words spat at me just a few moments ago, I realized that I didn't feel bad at all.

"Tell your men to lay off me!"

"Vill you just _listen_—?"

"No! I won't! And if you ever lay a hand on me again, there will be hell to pay."

I then turned on heel and ran quickly away.


	14. Every Hero Has Her Downfall

**Just a chapter to once again prove that even Leigh Ann isn't perfect. Her imperfection consists of Arithmancy and Divination, just so ya know.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Period. The end.**

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**Every Hero has Her Downfall**

"I got an '_F'_?"

"I'm sorry, Leigh Ann, but your thesis was wrong." Rear Admiral Lucas Boyle glared at me over his small, circular glasses. "_Very_ wrong. I'm rather disappointed with you. If this were your sister's work, we wouldn't be in this mess."

I clutched the paper to me, almost tearing it in my anger. "My sister _isn't _here though, Sir. I am, and if you'd care to explain to me exactly _how_ my thesis was wrong—"

The insufferable man, instead of helping me, dropped a very,_ very _large tome in my hands and pushed me to get out of his office "As you can see, I am obviously very busy. Read chapters one through two-hundred-and-sixty-four. Good day, Second Lieutenant."

I turned around to try and reason with him, but he slammed the door in my face! I gritted my teeth, let the angriest screech I could manage come from my throat, and threw the book on the ground.

_I never get F's_, I thought kicking the wall of the temporary teaching lodge. _Ever!_ Merlin, how much I hated Arithmancy!

"Second Lieutenant!" came a very loud, very familiar, very _obnoxious_ voice. I groaned and turned around to see Professor Plum storming down the hall towards me. _Oh Merlin._ I tried to run the other way, but he grabbed my arm before I could run around the corner. "You are coming with me. You still owe me kitchen duty!"

_Worst…day…ever!_

_**Viktor Krum  
**_Viktor looked out the porthole of his Dark Arts classroom, just to get away from the lessons for one moment. The drone of the monotone Russian teacher made this class one of his most boring, even though he was technically the best at this, and the Defense class.

Outside, he saw what appeared to be the Marines practicing advanced Transfiguration in the deep snow. He had to admit that all of those American Academy students were very well trained, almost to the point of being as good as the Durmstrang students.

Something coming out of a lodge caught his eyes. The large, obnoxious teacher, Professor Plum, was pulling who looked to be Leigh Ann by the arm. She was bitterly pulling against him, though he quickly sat her down in front of what he knew to be the kitchens. He used his wand to hit her over the head, turning her clothes into a kitchen wench's, making a large barrel of potatoes appear in front of her.

He must have magically bonded her to the chair, because she couldn't get up. She took out a potato and started attacking it manually with a peeler. All of this in the 20 degree air, with a foot of snow.

Ivann, next to him, suddenly hit him over the head. "_Viktor, I'm talking to you!_"

He shook out of the trance that had revolved around Leigh Anna Marie. "_I am sorry, Ivann. I cannot concentrate today._"

Ivann looked out the window, then hit Viktor over the head. "_Her again? Really, Viktor, she's already rejected you more than once!_"

"_I know, but she is someone I just cannot understand!_"

His best friend grabbed his arm, used magic to transport his things, and picked him up. "_She's __not in your league, or even above it! How low can you get, Viktor, really!_"

Viktor glared at his best friend for a few moments before sighing and picking up his Arithmancy book. They were having that class out in the woods, and to get to it, he had to pass right by her. "_She is in a league all her own._"

"_If she can't see that you're the best thing that could ever happen to her, then she doesn't deserve you._"

_Augh, but I want her!_ he thought bitterly, squeezing the book. He and the rest of the class passed by the Marines training, and some of the Durmstrang men started shouting to the few women who were working out with the men.

"_Hey, Gogil, you're barking up the wrong skirt! She isn't your type!_" Ivann called to Erik, who was desperately trying to flirt with the few girls.

"_A man's got to try, right_?" he asked back, still eyeing them with interest.

They were about to walk past Leigh Ann, until he stepped on something. He bent down to pick it up, seeing that Leigh Ann's name was on the top, and her handwriting was slightly messy. Well, maybe more than 'slightly.' And he noticed that there was a large 'F' written in red up at the top. The Arithmancy thesis wasn't all that bad. Not good, but not bad, either.

Viktor had to suck up his courage before he walked up to her. She had finished half the tub of potatoes, though another one had popped up next to her, and she got even more red in the face, using the peeler to stab the potato multiple times. He was almost afraid to give it back.

"Leahn," he said hesitantly, wishing that he wasn't the cause of that little glare. "You must half dropped thees."

She snatched the paper from him, blushing deeply. "Th-thanks, Viktor." He knew that the blush went all the way down to her breasts, and he had to keep himself from thinking about them.

"If you do not mind me asking," he said, wondering if her anger was against him, "vhat is the large red letter?"

She smirked belittlingly. "It's an 'F.'"

"Vhat does it mean, is vhat I vas asking."

"It means that I pretty much stink at Arithmancy. Do you mind, I'm tryin' to finish my punishment in peace."

"Punishment?" She was great at Transfiguration and Charms, what was wrong with her Arithmancy? And why was she in trouble when she should have been preparing for the Second Task in the next few days?

She sighed and sat down her potato peeler, rubbing her temples. "I got in trouble for talkin' back to a teacher. Any more questions? I need to get back to work!"

Since when did Leigh Ann get in trouble for talking back? It must have been that Plum man. "I…I am sorry for interrupting, I vas just heading to Arithmooncy myself. If you need help—"

"I don't need help," she said quickly, not able to meet his eyes. "I-I can pass Arithmancy, it won't be hard. I just need to study more."

"Vhen?" he asked angrily, clutching his book a _little _too hard. "You half just as mooch time as I half. Noone!"

"Well I'm sorry that you seem to have time to talk to _me_, then," she growled, finally looking at him. It was a glare, though. "I don't have time to have a study session. If you would _like _to know my schedule, after this I have Magical Politics, and then after that I have to go look for a rare herb that only appears when there is a blanket of snow on the ground and a full moon is in the air. Now, if you don't mind, I have potatoes to peel."

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**VERY short chapter. Next!**


	15. The Second Task

**The moment you've all been waiting for! Well, kind of. Leigh Ann isn't yelling at Viktor, and she finally has a civilized conversation with him(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I would already know what the movie is like!):**

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**The Second Task**

It was a nice day, cold but clear, and tensions were running high.

I was getting worried because it was the day of the Second Task and I couldn't find Hermione _or_ Ron, and apparently Cho was missing. Even Cedric and Krum looked worried, but for Cho and Hermione, or for themselves?

I shook my head and held the transfiguration potion in my hand as I walked down to the bank with the General.

"Do you have the right scale, dear?"

"Positive."

"Good. I just want you to know, that whatever was lost—"

I gave him a look, and he quieted instantly. "Look, sir, I know that you want to help me out as much as possible, but I can do it. I really can. And if the potion doesn't work, I always know Transfiguration spells, and then there's always the Bubblehead Charm."

He smiled softly at me, putting his hand on my arm—I was surprised. The General wasn't one for physical contact, much less to reassure someone. "I know you'll do well, Leigh. You're just like your mother."

I blushed. "Not…_just_. I'm still me."

"I know. Now lets go, I see Krum ahead of us and I'd rather not be behind him in being punctual."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head; the General knew that I didn't like Krum because of his fame. And even now, there were a few girls giggling a couple yards behind us.

"Welcome, Miss Nelson!" Bagman cried, and I smiled nervously and shook his hand. I noticed that there were large stands, for watching, situated along the bank, and I was getting slightly nervous as time went on. "I assume that you know Mr. Weasley, here?"

I looked to the tall, nerdy-looking redhead who had been at the Yule Ball sitting next to Harry. "You're Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny's brother, right?"

He nodded seriously, shaking my hand very curtly. "I'm filling in for Mr. Crouch."

"Oh…sorry to hear he's not here," I said, feeling very awkward. _I don't feel this way with any of the other Weasleys…maybe its just this guy._

"When the rest of the Champions get here," Bagman said, staring pointedly at Viktor and I, "I will space you along the banks. If you must get ready, please do so now."

I nodded and undid the belt to my BDU, untied my shoes and kicked them off, taking off my socks as well, and pulled down my pants to show my swimming suit pants. They weren't like the other girls' swimming pants, but were instead little shorts that held up in water. Then I pulled my shirt over my head, feeling a little self conscious about my body as I did so. It was just a plain black one piece, with the trunks over the bottom, but still. I wrapped a towel around my shoulders and sat down, waiting to put the scale into my potion. I pulled up my hair, pulling it into a ponytail instead of a bun like normal.

Viktor came and sat down beside me, clad in only swim trunks and a towel around his shoulders. "How are you doing?"

I was surprised, and hoped that I didn't show it or the fact that him without a shirt on was horrible for me. Then I remembered our little fiasco a while back, and I stiffened. "With what?"

"Your waist and heep. I nooticed eet hurting at the Ball, during the first dance. And last veek, vhen you vere rooning, you looked een pain."

I refused to look at him, narrowing my eyes. "Its fine." There was a slightly awkward silence, and then I, being my completely guilty, I-can't-believe-I-can-sit-here-and-be-so-rude self, said, "And—your English has gotten much better, just so you know. Has Hermione been helping you?"

He nodded, looking grim. "I half noot been able to find her."

"Me, either."

"Are you good friends?"

I nodded seriously, my stiffness slowly melting away. "We both understand each other. She reminds me of my best friend over in America, though less rebellious."

"You miss it." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and I think that he understood me.

"Very much so. America has my family, and without family…I don't know where I would be." I looked up from my clasped hands and to his eyes, and he hadn't taken his eyes off of me. "Do you miss Bulgaria?"

He nodded, looking less grim and more sad. "Yees. My _Ma__й__ka _ees there, and my foother, Ivann. He ees the oone who vanted me to play Queedeech."

I instantly felt myself stiffen towards him—for a moment, I'd forgotten that he'd been a famous Seeker, all set on girls and fortune. "Right."

"I read your oont's arteecle, and vhat you said about me."

"Oh?"

"You said I am good guy, boot…" Viktor then looked at me, confusion in those chocolate eyes. "You do noot leek me becoose of Queedeech." Again, it was a statement.

"Ding ding! Give the man a prize," I snapped, clenching my fists together.

His face instantly went red, and I wondered—was it from anger or from embarrassment? "Moost—ah, I mean…"

"Most people like you because of it. I know. _I_, unlike the rest of them, don't like professional Quidditch players." I felt a stab of hate pierce through my body, and I made it leave. Or tried, at least.

"Boot your _Ma__й__ka_—"

"Quit, because she loved her family."

He was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. I noticed that Cedric and Fleur had appeared, standing in their own swimsuits as well. Harry was no where to be seen.

"I see," Viktor said after a moment, and I looked at him to see that he was still confused. "Boot I ahm noot leek them."

I smirked slightly, not believing him. "When you're agitated, your accent gets stronger."

"Yours also."

That made me blush, and I hugged the towel closer to my body. The way he was staying calm with me, even though I was so mean to him, snapped at him, and had practically attacked him, made me feel incredibly guilty. I sighed and mumbled, slowly, "I…I guess I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you. Maybe you're different than the others, but that still doesn't give you my trust."

"Eet ees not good to trust earlee vith some," he said, and looked away, appearing slightly angered with the way his jaw was set and he glared off into the horizon. "And… I forgave you after eet happened."

I nodded, glad that he understood. "Thanks. But…I just put you in a stereotype and thought that you didn't have a heart. But you…you seem okay. For now."

He looked confused. "Vhat ees a…ah…_steeroteep_?"

I wrinkled my brow and tried to find another word. "Ah…a grouping of people who act a certain way people think they should act. Italian mobsters? No? Oh, well. I looked at you like a lot of women do to all men. That they're not to trust. I figured that you were just like all of the other Quidditch players I meet. But…_eventually_…you might earn my trust. Right now, though, that's not possible."

He nodded, not saying anything. Though when he looked like he was about to, we were suddenly called up to the judge's table. "It appears that Mr. Potter is not—"

Suddenly a small form came barreling down the hill, past the group of spectators walking down to the stands. "I'm…here…" he gasped, sliding to a halt in the mud. Viktor and I stood up, moving over to the table.

"Where have you _been_?" Percy asked in a disapproving tone. "The task is about to start!"

"Now, now, Percy," Bagman said, looking relieved, "let the boy catch his breath!"

I noticed that, while Bagman and Dumbledore looked pleased to see Harry, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime did not. The General, as always, looked jolly and I could never tell his emotions unless it was just the two of us.

We were all taken to the bank, lined up about ten feet away from each other. Viktor was standing on the left side of me, Fleur on the right, both of them having their wands at the ready. I took out my vial and also took a deep breath. I then put the small scale in the vial and shook it around, watching it turn a light blue color. _Well…bottom's up!_

"_Sonorus!_" Ludo cried, and his voice boomed out across the dark water. "Well, all our champions are ready for the Second Task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One…two…_three_!"

The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air, and applause erupted from the stands. At the moment, I was in so much confusion that I couldn't bother seeing what the other champions were doing. Instead, I waded into the water, which should have been cold but was just perfect, and saw my reflection.

My skin was glowing in the light of the day, my brown hair now falling down around my naked upper half, hiding my breasts. My legs were quickly turning scaly, and I could feel them popping out of my skin. My neck was the thing in most pain, though, and I quickly jumped under the water so that I could breathe.

I swam forwards, down, around…I struck my feet out, amazed to see that I didn't even have feet anymore. My legs had twined together, becoming a dark tan and maroon tail. _So it wasn't a Selkies scale that I got…it was a siren's!_

I quickly swam forwards, amazed at how light I felt and how beautiful the lake was, when seen through a sea creature's eyes.

Though I noticed that it was nothing but silence as I got deeper and deeper. There was fog, and even though I was a creature of the deep, I could only see maybe five yards in front of me.

I'd heard rumors about a giant squid, and had seen its tentacles on numerous occasions, but I didn't see it now, or any other things. No merpeople, no grindylow, and no champions.

In fact, I looked back, and saw that the small, horned water demons were swimming after me, confusion written on their faces. They were actually cute when not trying to kill you. _Maybe, when I'm done finding what I've lost, I'll come back and try to study them for Care of Magical Creatures…_

I swam deeper and deeper, time seeming to get ahead of me. I thought that I would never find what I needed, but then suddenly something grabbed my tail. I looked back, expecting to see a savage grindylow trying to attack me, but instead saw it pointing to the right of me.

"Thank you," I said to him, and I noticed that my voice had a very beautiful quality to it. If it could have blushed, it would have.

I swam in the direction it had pointed, and started hearing a snatch of a haunting mersong.

"_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took…"_

I swam faster and saw a large rock emerging out of the water ahead. It had beautiful paintings of merpeople on it; they were carrying spears and chasing what looked like the giant squid. I swam past it, following the sounds that suddenly sounded so familiar.

"…_your time's mostly gone, so tarry not_

_Lest what you seek stays here to rot…"_

_I don't know what you are, but I'd rather you not rot, if you're important to me,_ I thought, smirking. I looked forwards, a cluster of crude stone dwellings stained with algae looming there. They were an all sides, and I saw face staring back at me. They were definitely Selkies, and with the glares they were giving me, I sort of wished that I was one of them too.

They had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, the same as their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. Spears were clutched in their hands as they stepped out of their dwellings to watch.

As I swam on, more and more came out, watching me, pointing, talking behind their hands. And then I came upon what appeared to be a town square, where many were gathered, even a choir, calling the champions to them.

And behind them were five people—Hermione, Ron, Cho, a small blonde girl whom I didn't know, and—

"DAD!" I cried out in anguish, swimming as fast as I could now. Next to me, Cedric was there first. He had used a sharp stone to cut Cho free, and was now rising with her. I went to one of the merpeople with a spear and asked to borrow it.

"We do not help. Especially champion who changes to Siren," he said in a harsh, croaky voice.

I bitterly turned around, clenching my fists together. I noticed that it hurt, and looked down to see that my nails were razor-sharp, and I quickly reached forwards and cut the ropes binding my father. I caught him and started swimming upwards.

Then Viktor sped by me, his head a shark, and the shark's mouth holding Hermione's rope. He drug her up and made the surface before me.

Suddenly, I felt my legs cramping. _Wait—legs?_ I looked down to see that my legs were back to normal, covered in their pants. My swimsuit was back as well, and my gills— _Shit, I can't breath!_

I quickly broke the surface, though, before it became a problem, and held my father to me. I breathed in air as if I had never had it before. "DADDY!" I cried as he looked around, confused, swimming for the both of us.

"Leigh—lets get to shore first, alright?" he asked, and I nodded, my eyes full of tears. By the time we got to the shore, we were both freezing, our lips blue, but I still held onto him, crying. "Hey, baby girl, shh…"

"I-I-I th-th-th…y-y-you w-w-were d-d-d-d…wh-wh-what was I-I-I…"

"I know, I know…" he whispered, and we were both taken to the General. Towels were put around our shoulders, and I wouldn't let go of him for another five minutes. It made me cry even more to see that he was still in his battle dress. "Hello, sir," my father said softly, shaking hands with the General, his teeth still chattering.

Still crying from my father, and feeling slightly hormonal, I ran over to Hermione and threw my arms around her. "H-H-Herm-m-m-mi-o-o-neeee!" I cried, hugging her as tight ass I possibly could. "Y-y-you're o-o-ok-k-kay!"

She hugged me back, shivering. "I-I'm alright, L-Leigh."

"Are _you_ alright, Leahn?" Viktor suddenly asked, and I turned around, wiping a tear from my eyes. He was almost completely transfigured back, his teeth still pointed and his eyes looking rather feral. It scared me, actually. "Ve vere almoost out oof the time leemeet."

"I-I-it's okay," I said, sniffling. I then turned and tugged on my dad's wet shirt, pulling him over. "Th-this is m-my dad. I-I've got him, and th-that's all that m-matters!"

"Good Lord, Anna, it's Viktor Krum!" my dad said with a big smile on his face. He held out his hand, shaking Viktor's hand, much to my embarrassment. Now Viktor was back to normal, at least. "Great to meet you."

"Heelo, Meester Neelsoon," Viktor said, accepting a towel from the Hogwarts nurse with a nod. He put it around his shoulders, not bothering to dry off. "Eet ees a pleasure meeting you."

My father was about to say something, but then someone beside us burst into tears. "She ees steel down zere!" Fleur cried, trying to get out of Madame Maxime's hands. "I must go back!"

I went over to the girl whom I didn't particularly like and gave her my towel. "It's okay. She'll be fine, D-Dumbledore wouldn't allow anyone t-to be hurt!"

"B-b-b-ut…"

"It's okay," I said, wrapping my towel around her shoulders. "She'll b-be okay." _Whomever "she" is. The little blonde girl?_

"Get over here!" Madame Pomfrey cried, wrapping me in a large blanket. She then shoved a drink down my throat, instantly warming me up and making steam come out of my ears. "They're going to end up killing you by the after effects, they are…"

"I don't think I'll ever understand magic," my father said, also now in a blanket. I huddled closer to him. "But hey, as long as you do…"

I sniffed, then sneezed. "I-I do. Now, all we have to do is wait for Harry. I wonder where he is?"

"Harry? Okay, I know your mother keeps telling me that there's this Harry Potter kid, but you know I'm not so caught up on famous people of the wizarding world."

"It's Harry Potter, the 'Boy Who Lived.' But he's a good guy. He didn't sign up for this, he was forced into it."

"I'm not even going to ask."

"Didn't think you would." I smiled at him, leaning my head against his shoulder. I did this, at least, until I heard a commotion down by the water's edge. I quickly got up, telling my dad that it was Harry, and saw that Harry had two heads with him, not one.

We helped the three out, Fleur instantly attacking her sister. "It was ze grindylows…zey attacked me…oh, Gabrielle, I thought…I thought…"

I pulled Ron forwards, hugging him until he suffocated. "You're alright! And wet!"

"Bloody—gerroff me, Leigh!"

Then I pulled Harry forwards, hugging him as well. "You're okay! I was worried, but then I saw my dad and I heard the commotion and I'm warm and I'm hugging you and I just can't believe that they would do this to us and my father is alive he's not dead like I thought and—"

"I'm glad you're okay, too, Leigh," Harry said, hugging me back. "Now I think you'd better let me go, before Madame Pomfrey has a conniption."

I nodded, wiping my suddenly hormonal tears from my eyes. "O-okay." I went and sat down by my dad, huddled close to him, crying silent tears of joy.

Over by the water's edge, Dumbledore was talking to a merperson who seemed to be the leader, deep in conversation. Then he nodded, and the merperson swam away. "A conference before we give marks, I think," he said to the other judges.

While the judges were in a huddle, Madame Pomfrey went to take care of Ron, who was now in Percy's clutches. She then tried to help Fleur, but wouldn't hear anything of it, instead wanting her sister looked after. Fleur then kissed Harry on the cheeks, and then Ron, and hugged her sister.

Suddenly Bagman's voice came up loudly. "Ladies and Gentlemen! We have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of sixty for each of the champions as follows…

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubblehead Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her thirty points."

There was applause from the stands, and I clapped politely as well.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return one minute outside the time limit of an hour." Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd, and I saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look. "We therefore award him fifty-five points.

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty-nine points." Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, though I did as well, giving him a smile.

"Leigh Ann Nelson used a very well brewed Transfiguration potion, though one that turned her into an enemy of the Merpeople in the Lake, and came in third place. We award her fifty points."

"Wha—?" my father started angrily, but I shushed him with a glare and saying, "It's okay."

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He retuned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all the hostages to safety, not merely his own. Most of the judges feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However…Mr. Potter's score is fifty three points."

I smiled, listening to all the praise for my friends. That meant that Cedric and Harry were tied for first, Viktor and I were tied for second, and Fleur was last.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of May. The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

_It's over…it's over…thank Merlin, but its over…_

I clung to my dad for the walk back to the castle, being quiet, both of us knowing what we would say now that we saw each other. I let silent tears fall down my face, even when Madame Pomfrey said something that made me want to smile wider, but I just kept my small smile.

**_Viktor Krum_**

Hours later, while the Champions and their hostages—minus Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who had left hours ago for a Gryffindor party—were sitting around the fire in the room they had been made Champions in, Leigh was sitting on her father's lap, her arms around his neck, listening to the beating of his heart.

Viktor then knew where her looks had come from—they had the same facial structure, the same hair, the same olive complexion, and the same build, minus her shoulders and arms. His eyes were olive green, whereas hers was hazel, and his were shaped differently. Their cheekbones and chin were both the same, though his eyes and nose were shaped differently.

Leigh was slowly falling asleep as she fell and rose with the rise and fall of Jonathan Nelson's chest. He and Viktor had been talking softly across the fire about Quidditch, America, and the Army—the _real_ Army—for hours, and Viktor understood where Leigh got her smile and her way of speaking from. He was a very easy-going man, though seemed strict. It was obvious that he loved his daughter.

Cedric had joined in every so often, whenever he had stopped making loving eyes at Cho, and Fleur had been sitting with her sister in her lap, talking softly to each other in French. Once in a while she would talk to Leigh, though now that Leigh was falling asleep, she was mostly talking to her sister.

Mr. Nelson talked a lot about his family—his wife, his three daughters, and his son, and looked like the proudest father in the world as he glanced down at his daughter, who had only butted in to correct her father on anything said wrong, though she was starting to fall asleep. He was Muggle, and had a hard time grasping the ideals of magic, but his wife had done all that was possible to make it easier for him.

Viktor told him about Bulgaria, and the Quidditch team, and Mr. Nelson told Viktor about how his wife used to be one of the best players in the world. Of course, Viktor already knew that, but he listened anyways. He told Viktor that, for the American National Quidditch team this summer, Leigh was to be the manager for every professional match, keeping the pitch in shape. Viktor told him that he would be happy to see her again this summer, when they faced off once more.

And then, Mr. Nelson tried to tell Viktor about football, how it was a little like Quidditch, but it was difficult for him to understand. Finally, though, Mr. Nelson conceded, telling him that maybe one day he would be able to show him.

Then he looked down. "I think its past someone's bedtime," Jonathan said softly, kissing his daughter's forehead. Leigh's mouth was in a small _O_ of slumber, a very, very soft snore coming from her. Her hair had fallen from its holder, strands lying against her soft tan face.

"Do you know vhere her room ees?" Viktor asked, looking at her with concern.

The man shook his head, slowly standing up, holding his little girl in his arms. "Dumbledore showed me earlier, when the nurse was fixing her up." Then, his olive green eyes looked into Viktor's brown ones, and he said, "It was good to meet you, Viktor. I'm hoping that you will watch out for my baby girl."

"She ees a good friend," Viktor said with a nod. "I vill."

"Good. Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Meester Neelsoon."

Jonathan smiled, then slowly walked off, hugging his daughter to him.

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**AWHHHH. How cute(: Jonathan is how I picture an ideal father. I just like him(:**

**ANYWAYS, onto the next chapter, eh? Here's an excerpt from "The Boggart," possibly my favorite chapter of this entire story.**

"_He's gone_," she whispered, grasping his bare arm and pulling him closer. This wasn't the best situation, either, as she was wearing his shirt and she looked rather glorious in it. A look that was not Leigh Ann came over her eyes. "Viktor, he's _gone_!"

"It vas a _Boggart_," he said firmly, leaning down and gently brushing the tangled brown hair off of her face. "It vas not real."

"Yes, it was!" she cried, turning over and covering her face. "I've seen it before! N-nightmares…_Viktor_, don't…I can't…"

"Shh…" Viktor wanted to remove everything that had hurt her, to wipe the entire image from her memory. But because he couldn't do that, he thought that it would be best to hold her. Viktor laid down beside her, over the blankets, though, holding her to his chest. She sobbed, curling up in the silk, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It vill be alright, Leahn." He ran his fingers through her hair, stroked her back, held her close. Her smell—sunlight and fresh cut grass—cut him to the quick, and he kissed the top of her head. "I am right here."

"_Please stay with me_."


	16. The Boggart

**This is probably my FAVORITE chapter EVER! Leigh Ann finally sees that her feelings might be a little..._confused. _And Viktor has a little trouble controlling himself!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! Dobby would not have died.):**

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**The Boggart**

Viktor had always wondered when the Americans got any magical training done, as they were always exercising and doing Muggle work. Only a few times had he ever seen them working with magic, and the other half of the time they were doing some kind of punishment. Today, though, he recognized Jason's group working with Boggarts.

His Arithmancy class was walking down by the forest again, and the teacher had thought that it would be fine to stop and watch, to make fun of the "stupid Americans." They were actually pretty good, though. Most of them could face their fears.

That was when Viktor noticed Leigh Ann. She was wearing some kind of thick clothing that looked very warm. Jason called her over, making her sigh and her shoulders slump. "Sis, come help me take records."

"Do I have to?" she asked tiredly, giving her brother a wry look. He gave her a look back, saying that yes, she did have to. She resigned herself and held out her hand, and he gave her a clipboard to write things down with. She must have been writing down everyone's fears.

Viktor instantly had a bad feeling. The Boggart was hardly being controlled. A small girl who was in the Air Force stepped up, and the Boggart turned into a large snake, coiled and ready to strike. She hardly made it shimmer, let alone disappear, with her _Riddikulus_. Jason calmly told her to think of a funny memory, something that would change the situation completely. The girl, with determination on her face, shouted _Riddikulus!_, and it turned into an older man, with silver hair and eyes, a scowl on his face, and a bikini on, all in the middle of winter. Viktor had no idea who he was, but the group of Academy students went wild. The entire squad burst into laughter, even Jason. Leigh Ann, she was smirking as she looked down onto her clipboard, and the Boggart jumped.

And when it jumped up and landed right next to Leigh Ann, he braced himself for the worst.

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream filled the air, and Viktor saw that Leigh Ann had dropped her clipboard, falling to the snow-covered ground. He rushed over to her, only to instantly stop in his tracks when he saw what was lying in front of her.

There was Jonathan Nelson lying there. His dark, familiar-shaped eyes were glassy, dead, his olive skin without luster. A trickle of blood fell out of his lips. His face was set in a silent scream, his fingernails raw and bloody. The uniform he was wearing was smeared with blood, and multiple knife wounds contorted his abdomen.

Leigh Ann let out a strangled sob, shaking her head back and forth. "_DADDY!_" she cried, her entire form shuddering as she reached forwards and grasped the front of the man's uniform, shaking him. "_NO, DADDY! DON'T LEAVE ME, PLEASE!" _

But the man just moved when Leigh Ann shook him, his head turning at a strange angle. "_Riddikulus!_" Jason instantly cried out, and the Boggart turned into a multitude of little balls, bouncing away. Someone then sent the Boggart back into its small crate. Jason himself was looking very white and shook-up.

Everything was quiet as Leigh Ann knelt on the floor, crying softly, her hands still covered in blood. She took off her coat and sat it on the "body," patting him, trying to get him to wake up. She sobbed his name pitifully.

Viktor came up behind her and put his fur cloak around her shoulders, though she didn't act as if anything had happened, only kept sobbing. "Leahn," he said softly in her ear, against her soft, wet hair. She said nothing, and no one made another move.

"_Daddy_…" she sobbed softly, clenching her eyes shut. Tears streamed down the front of her face, and she was paler than the white snow. That might, in part, be accounted by the fact that she had taken off her coat to put on the Boggart.

As no one made another move to do anything, Viktor reached below her and gently lifted her. She may have been larger than most, but she still weighted nothing to him. "I vill take her to her room." No one said anything to stop him, nor did they look like they wanted to. Jason nodded tersely, and his teacher could give him whatever punishment he wanted _later_, as long as Leigh Ann was safe.

Viktor held her shaking form to him as he maneuvered the minefield of the Army barracks. Her room was one of the further back ones, and he held her close to keep her from shivering as he hurried. She kept mumbling the same word, '_Daddy_,' grasping the front of his shirt, crying salt tears that stained. His impulse was to hold her for forever, to keep anything else from hurting her.

He reached her room, trying to kick open the door. It was obviously protected, and he couldn't get in. Sighing bitterly, Viktor put a Disillusionment Charm on them and raced to the ship, getting in without a single problem. The Durmstrang rooms were all the same. They were spacious, with a four-postered bed of silk and fur, rugs of the finest quality, and the richest mahogany wood. His, on the other hand, was slightly larger, and all of his trophies and things were put up all around the room.

He quickly laid her on his bed, getting rid of her soaked clothes and adding one of his own overly-large shirts in the same instant, to keep things appropriate. When she had fallen and taken off her coat, she'd gotten soaked to the bone from the snow.

"_He's gone_," she whispered, grasping his bare arm and pulling him closer. This wasn't the best situation, either, as she was wearing his shirt and she looked rather glorious in it. A look that was not Leigh Ann came over her eyes. "Viktor, he's _gone_!"

"It vas a _Boggart_," he said firmly, leaning down and gently brushing the tangled brown hair off of her face. "It vas not real."

"Yes, it was!" she cried, turning over and covering her face. "I've seen it before! N-nightmares…_Viktor_, don't…I can't…"

"Shh…" Viktor wanted to remove everything that had hurt her, to wipe the entire image from her memory. But because he couldn't do that, he thought that it would be best to hold her.

Viktor laid down beside her, over the blankets, though, holding her to his chest. She sobbed, curling up in the silk, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It vill be alright, Leahn." He ran his fingers through her hair, stroked her back, held her close. Her smell—sunlight and fresh cut grass—cut him to the quick, and he kissed the top of her head. "I am right here."

"Please stay with me."

Viktor looked down at her beautiful, tear-stained, terrified face and knew that he would never leave her. This had been the moment he'd been waiting for, where she asked him to stay, where she was with him and only him. "I vill," he said softly, gently caressing her cheek. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, brushing his nose against hers as he calmed her down. And finally, he gently brushed his lips against hers. It was the only thing he could have thought of doing to clam her down, and it worked. He was about to pull away, but she tightened her hold on his neck. Her lips were soft and molded to his in a neediness that he hadn't felt in a long time. He had to control himself not to press his tongue to the seam of her plump lips, and knew better than to take so much as a taste from her, but she was so soft…

She slowly pulled away, lowering her face onto his chest, snuggling there. He felt himself hugging her tighter to his chest, and wanting all of her. He felt as if he should have never even lain in the bed with her in the first place. He knew better.

And yet he didn't care.

_**Leigh Ann**_

The nightmare was slowly fading from my memory as I woke up. I was sore all over, though in a very comfortable bed. I tried to move, but I was restricted by something.

An arm wrapped around my waist and rough, warm lips pressed to the back of my neck. "Go back to sleep, Leahn. I steel half three more hours."

I instantly opened my eyes to see a very dark-wooded room full of white and black and red furs. Brooms were hung up along the walls along with plaques, medals, and certificates. Pictures of Quidditch teams and captains filled the many shelves. I knew that I was lying on the softest bed that I'd ever known, and that soft, luxurious silks were covering me. Furs that I didn't seem allergic to were wrapped around my body.

And so was a strong, hard, and warm male body.

"Viktor—" I whispered frantically, but was interrupted.

He grunted and pulled me harder against him. "Sleep." He wasn't wearing a shirt, I knew that, and my toes were curling in the crisp hairs of his legs. I could also tell that I wasn't wearing my clothes anymore, but a long-sleeved shirt that went down to my knees, it was that long on me. It smelled like him.

"Where are my clothes?" I asked, feeling slightly frantic. _What the hell did I do? _At least I had underwear on, and a sports bra. I wondered if he'd thought of it, or if he'd..._Oh, Merlin, what if he undressed me?_

"They are hanging up, drying." His teeth slowly grazed the back of my neck, and I felt a warmth expanding down in areas that were not supposed to be warm. "Go back to sleep."

I could feel his manhood swelling in the cleft of my buttocks, and felt my face heating up. "Th-this isn't right. I-I should go back to my own room."

"You are here. You vill stay." His lips touched my neck again. His breath was warm and intoxicating as he whispered, "I vill not leave you," against my skin.

"What did I do last night?" I demanded, feeling very anxious. His lips on my neck made me wonder…well, that and the spooning. Had I done something that I'd regret? I heard that you were sore afterwards, though I didn't feel anything and I didn't _remember _anything.

I heard him groan irritably, and he leaned up on one elbow, letting in a draft of cool air. I then fell onto my back with an _OOMPH!_ because he wasn't holding me up anymore. He leaned over me, the small amount of moonlight coming through the window shining over the muscles of his chest. There was a fire somewhere, flickering, showing me contours of his body before turning back into shadow. I itched to reach up and trace each and every indent, to run my fingers against his chest hair, to see if it was as coarse as his leg hair, or softer. I wanted to explore his entire body with my hands, and…and…

_Good Lord, what am I thinking._

"The Boggart you vere training vith, eet turned eento your father. You vere not yourself." He leaned down and gently kissed my forehead, bringing tears to my eyes from his sweetness. "You told me noot to leaf you, so I deed not."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get the horrifying image of my _father _out of my head. I couldn't remember exactly what I had done after I had seen him lying on the snow. A hot blush ran up into my face and into my ears, and I felt like I was instantly burning up. "M-my clothes…"

"Do not vorry, I deed not take advantage. I had to geet you out oof the weet clothes." The hand that wasn't holding him up came around to cup the side of my face, his thumb getting rid of the tears that started to fall. "Do not cry, little vun."

"He was d-d-d-d…d-d-d…"

"I know, I know…" he crooned, lifting my cheek. He placed a chaste kiss at the corner of my lips. My heart found its way somewhere into my throat, and my breathing sped up, just from that little bit of contact. It was so sweet that I could have wept. "He ees noot dead, though. Eet vas a Boggart."

I nodded and put my hand on top of his, caressing the back of his hand, taking a deep breath.

His eyes were tired but sincere when I actually opened my eyes, and they told me that he knew exactly my pain. I knew that someone had murdered his Grandfather, a famous wizard. And even though my father wasn't dead, I still knew the pain.

I rested my forehead against his chest, feeling his fingers twine into the sensitive hair at the nape of my neck. The images of my father being killed flashed through my head again and again, and I felt more tears coming.

"You must get your mind oof of eet," he whispered, bringing my head up. His lips gently touched my forehead, my temple, my jaw, my neck. His stubble brushed harshly against my skin, making me gasp for air. "Leet me geet your mind oof of eet…"

His accent got thicker as he kept kissing my neck; he rolled his R's more, and his vowels extended. I felt myself wanting to let him help me. "Please…"

Viktor's lips stopped at the hollow of my throat. "I vill not coonteenue eef you do noot vant me too."

I couldn't think past his kisses, other than feeling the thin golden band on my ring finger, promising myself to the man I loved. "My…promise…"

"No vone vill knoo, dear heart."

"_I _will know, Viktor, on the inside. What about the others, what will they say?"

"They vill noot knoo."

"I-I'm in your room, and I-I've _been_ in your room for…" I looked around for a clock, not finding one. "For who knows how long. They'll think something's happened."

Viktor pulled his hand away from my neck and mopped his face with it, sitting up. The sight of his bare chest made my breath hitch. "Leahn_, _they saw vhat happened. They know you are scared. Eveen your broother has excused us."

I moved to sit up, clutching the silk sheets in my fists and bringing them up. I was surprised that he had thought to give me a bra, but still, I had to cover my breasts. "It wouldn't…I mean, I just don't know…"

He let out a ragged sigh and leaned forwards to kiss my forehead. "Lay back down. Ve vill vake in anoother two hours." He laid back down on his side, wrapped his arm around my waist, and pulled me back up against him. His head nuzzled down into my neck, one of his legs wrapping around both of mine and curling them up against his. I could feel his manhood again, against my backside.

"Krum—"

"Eets _Viktor_," he growled, clutching me tighter, to the point of pain. With my wounds, even the slightest amount of pressure hurt, though this was just painful.

"Viktor—you're hurting me," I gasped, and he instantly released me.

He growled out, "Soory."

"Viktor…someone could walk in, and I'm afraid that someone will insinuate something—"

"Vhat is _eenseenvate_?"

"Ah…think something happened that didn't."

I knew that he was smirking, with the way he said, "You are honorable. Ve both know that noothing happened, so that ees all that matters."

"Not to the minds of our schools," I moaned, putting my face in my hands. I knew that the second I saw any of them that my face would burn up and I would be given away instantly. "Please, just let me go, I-I'll be okay, I swear."

"Shh…" His thumb started to make circles around my belly button, under my shirt, making the muscles there clench. Both of my hands instantly went to clasp around his wrist and hand. "I am noot going to hurt you, Leahn."

I slowly relaxed my grip. "I…I know." I didn't want to admit that what he was doing to me was driving me crazy with need. I wasn't sure exactly how to tell him, and I wasn't sure exactly what to do to stop it or continue it.

"Just sleep, Leahn." He situated himself more comfortably, mumbling something in Bulgarian.

"What?"

"Noothing."

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, curling my toes against his legs once, twice, before leaning my head back a little bit further. He growled something else in Bulgarian, gently nipping my neck. I jumped.

"Seet steel," he growled, rubbing up against my back innocently, to get more comfortable, though it didn't feel like it; a thousand fireworks went off inside of me.

"O-okay," I whispered, clutching the furs to me tighter. I tried to close my eyes, but his hot breath on the back of my neck was keeping me awake. "Th…thank you."

He grunted, clutching me protectively. He either growled "sleep" at me or "shut up" in Bulgarian, but the overall effect was what he wanted. I quieted down, my heart slowing down to the pace of his breathing.

With the lull of his breathing and the warmth of his body, I quickly fell asleep.

**_Viktor Krum_**

Viktor was so un-rested when he woke up that he felt more irritable than the Dragons that they had fought while they had been nesting. She was wrapped up in him, her head turned to where her even breathing was right against his neck. If he moved too much, her lips would be put there, and she talked in her sleep, so he would feel her lips moving against his skin.

He had woken up with his hand over one full breast, still in a dream that had involved her, him, a tangle of sheets, and one of his shirts. That was all that he could remember.

To make sure that, other than him touching her breast, he hadn't touched her, Viktor ran his hand up her shapely thigh, below the tail of his own shirt, to touch the soft lining of her black cotton underwear.

He let out a thankful breath. _Those dreams…they could have happened, and I would not have known. _He slowly got up out of bed, trying not to wake her, and laid her clothes out. He quickly scripted her a note, gently placing it in her clasped hand, and he had the urge to kiss her once more. He knew that he couldn't though. She was perfectly innocent, and she had something called her "promise" that kept her from doing something with him.

Viktor sighed and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She smiled in her sleep, turning over to curl up in the blankets like a small child.

_**Leigh Ann**_

It was just turning light outside when I woke up, wonderfully rested. I stretched, feeling his shirt rubbing against me strangely. That's when I noticed the note. It was from Viktor, which reminded me of my being in his bed. I felt myself blushing, but no one was around. I looked down onto the note, and it said that he had to be at class. It was a Sunday, so I didn't have to be. He told me to use a Disillusionment Charm to get out without being seen, like I had done with the dragon.

I held the note to my chest, taking a deep breath and looking around his room. It was a part of him, definitely. Not only were there Quidditch trophies everywhere, but pictures of him with other famous people, and then people I didn't know. He even had a picture of all of the champions, sitting right on his dresser next to who appeared to be his Quidditch Captain.

I knew that I needed to leave, instead of admire his things. So I got up, got dressed, but I _might_ have kept his shirt, which smelt exactly like him. I _might_ have.

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**Whoa! Leigh Ann was in QUITE the predicament, wans't she? What would YOU have done, when faced with a warm bed and a handsome, warm, caring man or a cold, nightmare-filled night alone? Hmm...obvious choice(;**

**Here's a look from the next chapter, "Broomride:"**

He was a master at flying, that was for sure. He flew with grace, speed, and still kept himself in control. His Firebolt was perfectly maintained, and even his practice Snitch was in good shape.

I sat in the bleachers, admiring the almost-perfect Quidditch pitch, only seeing a few flaws. The hoops were a little under-managed and the locker room should have been better taken care of, but what could you do when you didn't get to play on it for a year?

Viktor Krum sure was taking advantage of it, though, and there were a few of his fangirls sitting in the stands, watching, giggling. I was sitting far away from them, working on my plans for the American National Quidditch team's pitch. Many things, such as hoop regulation and seating arrangements, needed to be taken care of.

Then I saw Viktor land, his tenth-caught Snitch in his hands. I put my things away, walking over to him. "So…" I said casually, keeping in step next to him as we walked towards the exit. I was still embarassed that he'd taken me to his room, and we'd slept in the same bed together. I figured that I should _probably_ give his shirt back. "You do fly pretty well." _Well, maybe I'll give it back._

"There are many things I need to perfeect," he said modestly, his broom over one shoulder, Snitch in hand. "Sooch as the Reeynoold's Ricochet."

"I learned that the first time I stepped onto a broom," I sighed, remembering how much fun I used to have playing Quidditch. "I was the best Chaser on our little league team." I knew that we were both skittering around the one subject we _wanted_ to talk about.


	17. Broomride

**Who doesn't like double uploads? I love them! Today you get this shortie, and then tomorrow is a chapter that I know you will like! So, read on my watchers, read on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am but a poor bookstore worker, and a poor teenager to boot. **

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**Broomride**

He was a master at flying, that was for sure. He flew with grace, speed, and still kept himself in control. His Firebolt was perfectly maintained, and even his practice Snitch was in good shape.

I sat in the bleachers, admiring the almost-perfect Quidditch pitch, only seeing a few flaws. The hoops were a little under-managed and the locker room should have been better taken care of, but what could you do when you didn't get to play on it for a year?

Viktor Krum sure was taking advantage of it, though, and there were a few of his fangirls sitting in the stands, watching, giggling. I was sitting far away from them, working on my plans for the American National Quidditch team's pitch. Many things, such as hoop regulation and seating arrangements, needed to be taken care of.

Then I saw Viktor land, his tenth-caught Snitch in his hands. I put my things away, walking over to him. "So…" I said casually, keeping in step next to him as we walked towards the exit. I was still embarassed that he'd taken me to his room, and we'd slept in the same bed together. I figured that I should _probably_ give his shirt back. "You do fly pretty well." _Well, maybe I'll give it back._

"There are many things I need to perfeect," he said modestly, his broom over one shoulder, Snitch in hand. "Sooch as the Reeynoold's Ricochet."

"I learned that the first time I stepped onto a broom," I sighed, remembering how much fun I used to have playing Quidditch. "I was the best Chaser on our little league team." I knew that we were both skittering around the one subject we _wanted_ to talk about.

"I knoo vhy you stooped," he said softly, to where his fan girls couldn't hear, "boot vhy deed you noot geet back on?"

I blushed, knowing exactly why but not sure if I wanted to tell him. "Well…have you ever fallen off a broom?"

"Pleenty olf times."

"Well…it's scary to get back on. I was five when it happened," I said, feeling as if my entire face was on fire, "and things are a lot scarier to a five-year-old than to, you know, a Professional Quidditch player." _Like a Boggart in the shape of your father._

"Eef you fall off, you moost geet back on."

"It's been years, I mean, I just can't…"

He suddenly stopped, grabbing my arm, and turning us around to walk back into the Quidditch pitch. He laid his broom on the well-maintained grass and stood me next to it. "Hoold your hand oover eet and say 'oop'."

"Viktor—"

"Leigh Ann, say 'oop'." His eyes were dark again, kind of like they were last night when he'd forced me to lay back down, and he'd kissed me.

I flushed and looked down to the broom, resigning myself to the worst. I almost said it like he said it, 'oop,' but caught myself before I did. I shakily put my hand over it. "U-up."

"Moor forcefully!"

I glared at him, then said, "UP!" It instantly flew up into my hand.

"Good," he said, slightly surprised at the way it settled into my hands. "Now, get on."

"Wh-what?" I demanded, almost dropping his broom.

"Get on."

"I-I can't," I said, suddenly feeling like my five-year-old self, seeing my broom again after I had fallen off. "Really, Viktor, I think you should just take it back and—"

Suddenly he took the broom from me, made it levitate in front of him, and grabbed me again. His hands were suddenly around my waist, large and strong, and he picked me up and sat me down on what felt like a pillow. For a moment I wondered in the feeling of his hands around my waist, of his presence near me, but then I realized that I was on a broomstick.

I squealed, trying to grab onto him to get off, but he would have none of it. I started hyperventilating, though I refused to cry! Instead I closed my eyes, putting my hands over them, still trying to halfheartedly fight him.

"Leahn!" he exclaimed, "stoop and opeen your eyes!"

_I'm okay…Viktor wouldn't hurt me…I'm okay…don't think of hitting the ground…that's not helping… _Taking deep breaths, I slowly did as he said. I was— "I'm levitating," I breathed, starting to feel a smile on my face as I levitated a few more inches from the ground. _I'm doing it!_

He did smile, and it made his eyes crinkle. "I toold you." His hands were resting one in front of mine, the other behind my back, steadying the broom. "Now, I vant you to fly."

My heart fell into my stomach, and my breath came faster. "I-I can't. Really, I can't."

His body was pressed against my right side, holding the broom still. His lips were directly at my ear, and he whispered, "_Close your eyes…feel the broom…_feel its power underneath you." I shivered as his warm breath caressed my neck. "It is a living thing, guided by you. It is a part of you."

I did as he said, relaxing into his warmth. I felt the broom's power beneath me, and it vibrated subtly. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought that this was much more comfortable than my old broom.

He started speaking in Bulgarian, his lips so close to my ear that they almost touched. His words were soothing, and, even though I couldn't understand all of them, (or even most of them, only the simple words,) they gave me strength.

His lips pressed gently to the hollow beneath my ear. "_Now open your eyes_," he whispered, and I did as he said. His hands were now gone, and I was flying by myself, hovering about a yard above the ground.

"I'm doing it!" I gasped, feeling free for some strange reason. And I knew that I could do it. "Can I…take it around the stadium?"

He was smiling widely. "Olf course. Taeek eet sloow."

I nodded and moved forwards, feeling the wind through my hair. I then reached behind me, tearing my hair out of its bun, letting it fly free. I sped up slightly, wishing that I was playing Quidditch again.

But then, I had taken it around the stadium three or four times, and I figured that it was enough for one day. I stopped in front of Viktor, stepping off and standing there excitedly.

"Deed you half foon?" he asked, a twinkle of merriment in his eyes.

I nodded, feeling suddenly very sentimental. I wanted to jump up and hug him, cry my eyes out, but I knew that _that _wouldn't happen. I looked to the ground, blushing. "Th…thank, you, Viktor."

He put his hand under my chin and lifted my eyes up to his once more. "You are very velcome, Leahn."

I blushed again, holding his broom close to me before realizing that it was in fact his, also realizing that today was the first time that I had actually called him 'Viktor' without being forced to. (Like last night.) "Here," I said quickly, breaking the silence. "This isn't mine, its yours."

"Vould you leek to practice tomorrow, as vell?" he asked softly, his hand coming up and gently brushing a small piece of hair behind my ear.

Was my face on fire? I hoped not. "I would love to."

And so started a wondrous few months, where I taught Viktor plenty of English, and Viktor showed me not to be afraid of a simple broomstick. I started wondering how I had ever been scared of it in the first place.

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**Come on, come on, do it with me: "AWWWWWW!" :3 I know you liked it(: **

**Here's a look at the next chapter!**

"Leahn!" Viktor called, waving her over, getting a lot of strange looks from the people still standing around. "There ees something you need to see."

She said goodbye to her two friends, rushing over to him, a worried look on her face. "The Third Task isn't until tonight, what—?"

He interrupted her quickly, smiling. "You vill see, joost coome een, and…"

The second she stepped into the room, she screeched and ran over to her family, pulling them in a hug. "Ooooh, I missed you all so much!" She then started to animatedly talk to her mother, her sister, and her father, all at the same time. And, though his parents were giving him strange looks, he still listened in to her conversation until she suddenly shouted, "MOM! LOOK AT MY SCAR!" and lifted up her shirt, pointing to the place where her rib had pierced her skin. Viktor politely looked away, though had seen that her stomach was the same shade of tan as the rest of her and was in shape.

"That's…very nice, Anna, now put your shirt down," the pretty blonde woman said, a small amount of blush in her cheeks. "Now, why don't you hold your baby sister?"

Leigh's eyes instantly lit up, and she gently took the pink bundle from her mother's arms. "Hello, baby girl…I didn't get to see you born, did I…?" she asked softly, her eyes wide and full of wonderment.

Seeing Leigh holding that baby did something to his heart, but his mother made him turn his attention back to the present. "_Viktor…who is she?_"


	18. Introductions

I hate to say it, but there are only two chapters left after this one! The next one is the most important, I do have to say, and then a finale. I do hope that all of you continue to read the sequal when I post it, entitled "Quidditch, Love, and Summer." I really do! (It has the romance that I know you all want!)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. And if you sued me, you wouldn't get much, believe me**

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.**Introductions**

I let out a silent scream. _What…have…they done to it?_

Giant hedges were in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, marring the beauty of something that I normally watched over. Even though it wasn't _my_ Quidditch pitch, it still tore my heart to the point that it was almost as bad as the NASCAR race that the General had made me hold in mine. I still could see my beautiful grass torn up by that asphalt and the tire tracks that the winner had left after doing donuts in the middle of the field.

Anyways, time for the past three months had gone fast—it was now the last week of May. A weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, off of my heart. I'd been doing well in all of my classes besides Arithmancy and Astronomy, I'd been doing better in my training, and the other day, I'd gotten a complement that I had been losing weight! My father was safe and doing financial work in Egypt right now (don't ask me why,) and I knew that he had big buff Marines surrounding him at all times. So I was happy?

"What've they done to it?" I heard Cedric ask indignantly, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I heard his feet stop somewhere behind me.

"They're hedges!" Harry exclaimed, bending down to examine the nearest one. _Special hedges, though, Harry._

"Hello there!" I heard a cheery voice call, and I looked over to see Ludo Bagman standing in the middle of the field with Viktor and Fleur. The three of us made our way towards them, climbing over the low hedges which I knew weren't done growing. A small weight started to appear in the pit of my stomach.

"Well, what d'you think?" Bagman asked, his face glowing, happy, and way too optimistic for how much destruction was happening to this poor Quidditch pitch. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, seeing my face, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment. Then—

"Maze," Viktor growled, looking less that enthusiastic. I glanced over to him, giving him a wink, and he smirked slightly at that. I didn't like it when he looked all moody. It really didn't suit him.

"That's right! A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" Fleur asked indignantly, looking as if she couldn't wait to get off of the dirt and the mud.

"There will be obstacles. Hagrid is providing a number of creatures…then there will be spells that must be broken…all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." He beamed at Harry and Cedric. "Then, Mr. Krum and Miss Nelson will enter…then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending on how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

I nodded, feeling energetic. _I can do this…I know I can!_

"Very well…if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly…"

I released my breath and followed them up, not noticing as Harry and Viktor slowly made their ways towards the Forbidden Forest.

_**Viktor Krum**_

Every day after that, Viktor had a skip in his step. He now knew that there was nothing going on between Harry and Leigh. Why that made him happy, he had no idea.

His spare time, when not going through classes or training for Quidditch (with her,) was filled with studying extra hexes and defensive maneuvers. He would sit in the library, where the giggling fan girls couldn't bother him, and read until the lights were dim. Sometimes, he would be joined by a silent Leigh, and they would make excuses to talk to each other—finding something exciting on "page three-thousand-and-twenty-two" and dropping a quill, (or in her case, a pen,) near the other.

He had hoped that he had found a good friend. Later, maybe even more. He had loaned her his old Nimbus for a while, until she unwrapped a brand new Firebolt one day at dinner, beaming down onto it. He had beamed at this as well.

Unfortunately, Igor kept dampening his happiness, demanding weaknesses, Achilles Heels, and more. But he kept telling his Headmaster that if she had one, she kept it too close for him to know.

But at the moment, he was very happy, because he was going to be able to see his _Ma__й__ka_ today, after breakfast in the chamber they had been made Champions in. He sat in the Great Hall, knowing that he should be nervous, but feeling nothing but happiness.

As soon as the plates were cleared, he burst through the door, seeing his beautiful dark-haired mother. Her pretty, light-brown eyes were sparkling as she brought her taller son into her arms, hugging him. "_Hello, my son," _she said happily, hugging him tightly. "_We are so proud of you…"_

His father grunted his assent, patting his son on the back. "_You will make us proud tonight._"

Viktor nodded, knowing that inside, his father was bursting with pride. He got his looks from his father, with the long nose, the strong jaw, and the dark eyes. But he got his mother's skin tone, the shape of her eyes, and the color of her long, dark hair.

He talked with his parents for a few moments more, retelling them his account of the first and second tasks. His father frowned when he talked about Hermione, but his mother smiled widely. And while he was talking, he looked around to the other champion's families.

Fleur looked much like her mother, but her mother was half Veela—even more beautiful. But he was used to the charms of the Veela. Cedric's parents both had light brown hair, plain faces, and the same eyes as their son. Harry had a family who he didn't look like he belonged to—they all had red hair, and he guessed that they were the Weasleys.

And then, he looked over and saw Jonathan Nelson, his arm around a woman with shoulder blade-length curly blonde hair. She was maybe five foot five, with the extra weight of a newborn baby still on her hips. She was very curvy, but in a pretty way, holding a bundle of pink in her arms. Between them, looking very annoyed, was the beautiful girl that Viktor recognized from the pictures he had seen. Her hair was put up, a white Navy uniform on her thin body. And then, standing up next to them was Jason, his blue eyes twinkling worriedly.

"Does she not know we're in here?" the girl asked snootily, her brow crinkled up daintily. "I'm just about ready to go out there and get her myself."

"Be patient, Jess," Jonathan said with a smirk, squeezing her shoulder. "She'll be here."

_She might not know that they are in here,_ Viktor thought with a smirk. He told his mother and father that he would be right back, going back out into the Great Hall. Leigh was still sitting in there, talking to Hermione and Mary animatedly.

"Leahn!" Viktor called, waving her over, getting a lot of strange looks from the people still standing around. "There ees something you need to see."

She said goodbye to her two friends, rushing over to him, a worried look on her face. "The Third Task isn't until tonight, what—?"

He interrupted her quickly, smiling. "You vill see, joost coome een, and…"

The second she stepped into the room, she screeched and ran over to her family, pulling them in a hug. "Ooooh, I missed you all so much!" She then started to animatedly talk to her mother, her sister, and her father, all at the same time. And, though his parents were giving him strange looks, he still listened in to her conversation until she suddenly shouted, "MOM! LOOK AT MY SCAR!" and lifted up her shirt, pointing to the place where her rib had pierced her skin. Viktor politely looked away, though had seen that her stomach was the same shade of tan as the rest of her and was in shape.

"That's…very nice, Anna, now put your shirt down," the pretty blonde woman said, a small amount of blush in her cheeks. "Now, why don't you hold your baby sister?"

Leigh's eyes instantly lit up, and she gently took the pink bundle from her mother's arms. "Hello, baby girl…I didn't get to see you born, did I…?" she asked softly, her eyes wide and full of wonderment.

Seeing Leigh holding that baby did something to his heart, but his mother made him turn his attention back to the present. "_Viktor…who is she?_"

"_She is the American Academy's Champion. Her name is _Leahn Neelsoon. _Her mother is _Reenee Reenoolds." At the two names being said, Leigh Ann's mother's bright, hazel eyes instantly zeroed in on him, and it took a moment, but she smiled.

"Reenee Reeynoolds?" his father asked, looking over at the woman. She met his stare with courage. "_The inventor of the Reynolds's Ricochet? Chaser._"

"_Da._"

His father then started stroking his beard, looking at the woman with interest. "_Hmm…_"

"Hey, Viktor," Leigh said, looking up from her baby sister, "would you like to meet my mom? Because of, you know, Quidditch."

Viktor smiled at her, and his mother gave him a strange look. "Oof course." He walked over to Rene Nelson, taking her peach hand in his and bending over to kiss it. "Eet ees an hoonoor to meet you."

"And an equal honor to meet you," Rene said, her eyes sparkling with laughter. She turned her hand in his and shook his hand firmly. "I'm sorry that Bulgaria lost, I was rooting for you, unlike my traitorous daughter!" Leigh blushed, but there was a mischievous look in her eyes. "I've never seen such wonderful Seeking."

"You vere there?"

"Yup. Haven't missed a World Cup since '88. Err—don't ask. And I wasn't about to miss the one debuting the famous Viktor Krum, _especially_ the Viktor Krum who got my daughter to fly again. Thank you, really."

"Eet vas noothing," he said, trying to ignore the looks that his parents were giving him. _Though it might have been a slight bit more than nothing,_ he thought as he looked at the beaming Leigh Ann.

Rene looked over to his parents. "And I'm guessing that this is Mr. and Mrs. Krum?"

"Rosa," his mother said, smiling brightly, both women shaking hands. "Eet ees neece to meet you." Her accent was far stronger than Viktor's, and he also knew that so was his father's.

"Stephan." But his father wouldn't shake her hand. Instead, he bent low over it.

"Wonderful, wonderful…" Rene said, her arm over her other daughter's back. "This is my daughter Jessica, soon to be the best Beater in the world."

The girl merely rolled her eyes at her mother. "Right…anyways, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Krum…and Mr. Krum…and Mrs. Krum," she said in a bell-like voice, her southern accent still prominent, unlike Leigh's, which had slowly started to fade.

"And this is our only son, Jason, our oldest."

Jason merely waved at him. "Hey, Viktor. Hello, Mrs. Krum, Mr. Krum." He shook Viktor's father's hand firmly, then softly shook his mother's. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to see you again, Viktor," Jonathan said, shaking hands with him. "How's she been keeping up?"

Viktor felt a small smile forming at the corner of his lips. _If she knew what he had asked me to do, she would start on a feminist rampage._ "Fine, sir."

Leigh gave her father a stern look. "Dad, you haven't been…"

"Nope," he said quickly, smirking.

She gave him a strange look, at least until the baby made a soft crying noise. "Oh, shhh… It's okay, Nicole…" Another pang happened inside Viktor's chest, as he looked down on the baby. Her cheeks were rosy, plump and healthy, and the small mop of black hair was the darkest he had ever seen. She calmed almost instantly with the small rocking motion of Leigh. "You wanna hold her?"

"Vhat?" he asked incredulously.

Leigh blushed, looking away from his eyes. "You look like you want to hold her. So, would you like to?" she asked softly, gently leaning the baby towards him.

Viktor looked to her mother for consent, and, seeing that he had it, hesitantly took the small bundle from Leigh's arms. It felt very…strange to hold a life in his hands, to support its head, to keep it alive. He wasn't sure if he was holding her right, and Leigh gently moved his forearm down a slight bit more. It grasped his pinky finger as it opened its bright, ice blue eyes.

"Meey I?" Mrs. Krum asked, her eyes very wide, full of wonder. "Viktor ees our oohnly cheeld. Meey I?"

"Of course," Leigh's mother said, and Viktor very reluctantly handed over the baby. The little girl had taken a piece of him with her little chubby fingers. His mother looked happy, though, which made everything better.

"She ees _booteefool…_"

Jonathan wrapped his arm around Rene's shoulders, looking at her like a man who had always been in love and always would be. "We thought so, too."

"What time does this task thing happen, anyways?" Jessica asked, looking very annoyed for some reason and breaking the beautiful moment. "I have finals to take, and—"

"You're not going to fail your final, Jess," Jason said with a roll of his pretty blue eyes. "I know you, you've probably already had the materials memorized since the start of fourth quarter."

"But that doesn't mean I haven't missed something," she snapped, crossing her arms over her center. Viktor got a rather strange vibe from this girl. Like there was something that she wasn't telling everyone. "No offense, sis, I love you, but really, I've got to study." He didn't know if he liked her or not.

Leigh let out a laugh. "Same old Jessica…but really, you'd love my friend Hermione. You and her could worry so much about finals that you'd have ten cows."

"Cows?" Viktor asked, giving her a strange look. _I will never understand these American terminologies…_

"It's a saying," she said, smiling to herself. "Anyways…"

"Oooh, Leigh, sweetheart, go around and introduce yourself to the other parents," Rene suddenly said, taking the baby back from Viktor's mother. "Mrs. Delacour would be delighted to know that you understand French. She doesn't speak English. And Mr. and Mrs. Diggory seem very nice. AH! Molly Weasley! Come, come, Jason, Jessica, lets go and greet my old friend!"

_Leigh's mother does seem like she's always on the go, doesn't she?_

"Well, I guess I'll see you later?" Leigh asked, smiling at him.

"_Da_, I vill."

She then held out her hand. He gently grasped it, and leaned down to touch his lips to her knuckles, but she pulled it away. He leaned back up and wondered why she gave him her hand if he were not to say goodbye. "This time, you'll shake my hand, not kiss it," she explained, blushing.

Viktor smirked, but took her hand in his. He was surprised to feel that she had a very firm handshake, and that her palm was slightly calloused, though no where compared to his. "Good luck."

"You too. May the best man win. Err—well, you know what I mean." And then she released his hand, saying something to his father, but he was just watching her walk away.

"_You look as if you have fallen for her,_" his father said in rapid Bulgarian, a murderous look on his face.

"_She is my friend._" And she was…or so Viktor hoped.

"_To me, you think of her as more than that._"

Viktor gave his father a slight glare. "_We are __**friends**__, Father. Nothing more._"

He nodded seriously. "_She had better be. She is your rival, therefore you would be working with the enemy. It would be like you suddenly liking the female chaser from _Ireeland's _team_."

Viktor set his jaw, determined not to say anything more about his friendship with Leigh Ann Nelson.

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**Hmm...everyone sees the relationship between Viktor and Leigh Ann except Viktor and Leigh Ann! Buahaha...**

**So here's a look at the next chapter, the climax of my story, "The Third Task:"**

Instantly, a head was by my face, but I couldn't tell who it was. "Leigh?" Harry asked, one hand on the side of my face. "Are you alright?"

I answered by lifting my wand and shooting red sparks into the air. "_N-n…no…_" I whispered to him, covering my face.

"It'll be okay," Harry said, pushing hair out of my face.

"I can't believe it," I heard Cedric say. "I thought he was alright."

"So did I."

I tried to lift my head, but it was to no avail. "Fl…Fleur?"

"She must be out of the game, Leigh," Cedric said to me softly, tenderly.

"You think Krum got her too?"

"Don't know."

"Should we leave him here?"

"No. Leigh sent up sparks already, otherwise I'd do it. Otherwise he'd be eaten by a skrewt."

"He'd deserve it."

I cried even harder when I heard them saying this, though why should I have? Viktor had used the Crucio curse on me. He wasn't my friend, he had probably _never_ been my friend! I shouldn't have cared about him at all!

"It'll be okay, Leigh. I know it will."


	19. The Third Task

**Attention! This is the second-to-last chapter! I just wanted to say thanks, everybody, who's read this far. Really, it makes my day!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I have no money. If I owned Harry Potter, I would have lots-o-lots-o money.**

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**The Third Task**

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the Champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now?"

I got up, giving my family a weary smile as the Army, Navy, Air Force, and even some of the Marines started applauding me. "See you guys later," I said nervously. My heart was beating a million miles an hour, and my stomach felt like it was somewhere up in my throat. _Why am I nervous?_ I thought, smoothing down my battle greens._ This will be a breeze…_

"Love you," my parents said in unison, waving, just like they had on my first day to the Academy. They were side by side, Mom's arm around Dad's waist, his arm around her shoulders, her head on his shoulder, and waving, smiling. The only difference was that Jason wasn't by my side, and neither was Jessica. They were sitting by Mom and Dad, bickering like siblings were want to.

I had to take a deep breath as the butterflies in my stomach ruffled again. "Love you too," I said back, shakily walking away from all of them.

We walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of us: the entrance to the vast maze. It was completely dark and utterly creepy. An animal or creature of some sort cawed, and I shivered in fear. Viktor, next to me, gently grabbed my hand behind the folds of our robes and squeezed. I smiled up to him, squeezing his hand back, and let his thumb gently run over the back of my hand before I saw people starting to come down from the castle. I slowly let our hands part. Lets just say that I really liked holding his callused hand.

The stands began to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached us. The four of them were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," McGonagall said to us, her steely eyes looking each of us in the eyes before looking at us all as a whole again. "If you get into any difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

The five of us nodded. I, for one, knew that I wanted to win, but if I didn't, I'd rather be still lost in the maze then have to be saved.

"Off you go, then!" Bagman said brightly to the four patrollers. He then pointed his wand to his throat and muttered, "_Sonorus_," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands. "Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with one hundred and ten points each—Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts school!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, both with one hundred points, Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute, and Miss Leigh Ann Nelson, from the American Academy of Magic!" This cheer was even louder, and some of the Army started singing "And the Army Goes Rolling Along" in the loudest tone I'd heard in a long time. It filled my heart to see all of them like that. "And in third place—Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

I could just make out my family, sitting in the stands, because of Nicole's bright pink baby blanket amongst the white, blue, green, black, and maroon. They were politely cheering for Fleur. I waved to them, and they waved back frantically. Next to them, so did Ron and Hermione, as well as a part of Ron's family.

"So…on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" Bagman cried. "Three—two—one—" He gave a short whistle, and Harry and Cedric burst into the maze.

"Good luck," I whispered to Viktor, who was now standing right beside me, twenty yards from the start of the maze, Bagman beside us.

"I vish eet to you, as vell," he said softly, and his fingers gently grazed the back of my hand. Butterflies that didn't come from being nervous fluttered inside of me. "Good look."

I laughed to myself, because of the way he said luck, but I only felt even more lucky from his good wishes. "I'll see you on the outside."

"On my mark, Viktor, Leigh Ann." We nodded to Bagman. "Three…two… one…" There was a slightly longer blast on the whistle, and Viktor and I raced into the maze.

The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and I figured that they had to be enchanted because I couldn't hear the crowd anymore. I pulled out my wand and muttered, "_Lumos_." Viktor did the same.

After about fifty yards, we reached a fork. We looked at each other, smiled, and took different directions. I went left, and Viktor went right. Behind me, the whistle blew again, meaning that all five champions were in the maze.

_North West_, I thought to myself, turning right and following my compass. _North West…and why haven't I run into anything yet? _It unnerved me…the cries, then the silence, and I was just starting to get panicked; _something_ was going to pop out at any moment.

I almost screamed when I saw Harry and Cedric ahead of me. "Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!" Cedric cried, trying to put out a fire starting on his robes. "They're enormous—I only just got away!" Cedric went one way, Harry the other, and I went the third path, to get away from them.

I traveled for a while, hearing beasts in the corners, but not seeing any. Finally, I was tripped. Something inside of me was relieved to finally have run into something, but the other half was scared beyond measure. A large, clawed foot was clamping down on my cloak. I felt sweat beading up as the creature moved out of the shadows, and my breath was lost.

It had the front legs, wings and head of a giant eagle, and the body and hind legs of a horse. The Hippogriff looked down on me with feral orange eyes, and I slowly moved into a bowing position, hoping to my God that my lessons from school would pay off and I wouldn't die. I never moved my eyes from his, and didn't even dare to blink. Finally it bowed, and I sighed in relief.

I got up and petted the pretty thing, and slowly backed away, thankful to get away from it. I'd never been good with animals; that had been Jessica's forte. She had an entire zoo of sorts, though no one was allowed in. Her entire enterprise was run off of donations and the products of the animals given to her. (Which I had to say was quite a lot.)

Swiftly, as fast as I could, I moved away from that section of the maze. I had to be somewhat close, as Hippogriffs and Griffins alike guarded things. I was close. And I knew it especially when I heard a struggle on one side of the maze.

I ran faster, at least until I was tripped again. I looked back at my legs to see that a vine had grabbed me—_a rather large vine, at that!_ "SHIT!" I cried, loudly, and then pointed my wand and yelled, "_Confudus_!"

The plant laughed at me! It started to crawl up my legs.

"_Impedimentia_!"

Nothing. Nada. Zip. And now it was up to my hip.

_Hey, that rhymed!_

_NO, now's not the time for that!_

"_Stupify_!"

Nothing. It as almost up to my underarms.

"Ah…damn it, I've come to far to be defeated by a plant!" I was about to yell in frustration, when an actual scream came my way. "Fleur?" I yelled loudly, trying to free myself. It was definitely a French-y scream. "Damn plant…_GLACIUS!_"

I had pointed my wand at the plant's base, and now it was frozen solid, its limbs squealing in agony. It released me with a few deep gashes in my legs and large cuts on my waist, but I kept on; I had to find Fleur and make sure she was alright. Hey, I may have hated the girl at first, but I'm not completely heartless, you know?

"What are you doing?" I heard Cedric call, from somewhere ahead of me. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

And then I heard Viktor's voice. "_Crucio_!"

Cedric's cries flew through the air. I ran harder, as fast as I could. _Viktor…? No, not Viktor! He couldn't have done it! Not Viktor!_ "Cedric!" I cried, tears pouring from my eyes as the curse tortured his body, making blood-curdling screams come from him. I felt vomit forming at the base of my throat. _Oh my God, oh my God!_ "Cedric, Cedric Diggory, answer me!"

I rounded a bend, to see Viktor standing over Cedric's body. He was holding his wand, staring lifelessly down. "Viktor, stop!" I cried, and now real tears were pouring from my eyes. "Stop it, now! _Expellia—_"

"_Crucio_."

Agonizing pain. I was being drowned, I was dying of thirst and hunger. I was being burned alive, crushed under the center of the earth's pressure. All of this, and yet all I could think past the pain was, _Viktor, no_! I could hear someone screaming. Was it me? It should have been. I was writhing on the floor, feeling the pain of one hundred thousand bullets, daggers, swords piercing my skin. _Burning…burning… _I saw my own worst fears coming to life in front of my eyes: my father was dying, a baby was being killed inside of me, I was losing the only man I could ever love, and I didn't even know who the man was.

_Oh, God, please stop this, PLEASE!_

"_Stupify!_"

Suddenly the pain stopped, and I rolled onto my side, crying. "Oh, Merlin! Oh God…"

"Are you alright?" Harry's voice asked, and Cedric replied with, "Yeah…but he had Leigh in the curse longer."

Instantly, a head was by my face, but I couldn't tell who it was. "Leigh?" Harry asked, one hand on the side of my face. "Are you alright?"

I was still gasping in pain, my body shaking. I answered by lifting my shaking arm and wand and shooting red sparks into the air. "_N-n…no…_" I whispered to him, covering my face. I felt myself sobbing, and I couldn't say anything else, I could only see Viktor in my mind's eye, see him holding my hand, then turning on me and using the Unforgivable Curse.

"It'll be okay," Harry said, pushing hair out of my face. His hand was soft, but it scared me, being so close. I pushed his hand shakily away, not able to open my eyes. I curled up on my side and covered my face.

"I can't believe it," I heard Cedric say. "I thought he was alright."

"So did I."

I tried to lift my head, but it was to no avail. "Fl…Fleur?"

"She must be out of the game, Leigh," Cedric said to me softly, tenderly.

"You think Krum got her too?"

"Don't know."

"Should we leave him here?"

"No. Leigh sent up sparks already, otherwise I'd do it. Otherwise he'd be eaten by a skrewt."

"He'd deserve it."

I cried even harder when I heard them saying this, though why should I have? Viktor had used the Crucio curse on me. He wasn't my friend, he had probably _never_ been my friend! I shouldn't have cared about him at all!

"It'll be okay, Leigh. I know it will."

"Well, I suppose we'd better go on…"

"Oh. Right. Well…they'll be here in a moment, Leigh. It'll be alright."

I nodded and curled up tighter into my ball. _How could he have done that to me?_ _I thought we were friends. He lied to me. He probably is working with Death Eaters. The pain…the pain…the pain…_

"Oh, my!" came a female voice, and I looked up with blurry eyes to see whom I thought was Professor McGonagall. "Miss Nelson! What happened!"

"Cru…Cru…Crucio," I gasped, crying even harder. "Viktor!"

McGonagall was at a loss for words. "He…he couldn't have. It's impossible, Miss Nelson!"

"H-he g-got Fl-Fleur!" I bawled, holding myself in a ball, putting my eyes onto my knees. "Pl-please, I w-w-w-want t-to see m-my mom!"

McGonagall instantly said an incantation, and I was being pulled along. Light blinded me as soon as I was pulled out, and there were many gasps.

"Anna!" came a cry of four people, and I was instantly being held close by four sets of hands. "Anna…"

"Viktor?" came Rosa Krum's voice from my side. "Vhat happeened to my soon?" she demanded towards me, a dirty look in her eyes.

I slowly got the ability to sit up, and Fleur was sitting next to me with her mother and sister. I could barely talk, though said, "H-he used the Cru-Crucio Curse." Tears were falling down my face. "My _friend_! I-I can't believe…on _me_!"

Viktor slowly sat up, a fog clearing from his eyes. "Vhat…? _He_—no! I deed noot!" I cried even harder. He reached forwards slowly. "Leahn, I…"

"Do noot touch her!" Fleur cried, wrapping her arms around me and shooting daggers at him. "You…you _moonster_! Using an _Oonfoorgivable Curse_!"

Suddenly the Professors Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore surrounded Viktor, their wands at the ready. Viktor just sat there, looking confused and bewildered, but I couldn't feel anything but pain as I cried in my mother and father's arms.

"I deed noot do anything!" he cried, suddenly scrunching his face up in confusion. "I…I am remembering telling you good look," he said towards me, but I couldn't stand to see his face. "And I am remembering smiling before taking the right turn…boot noothing after that."

Dumbledore's eyes lit up, and he looked around. "Where is Karkaroff?"

"He ran," Professor Snape said calmly, though I could tell that there was a fire in his voice. "He's been gone since Mr. Krum and Miss Nelson went inside. And…Mr. Krum is telling the truth. He did not hurt them."

"You're an Legilimens," Jessica said, her eyes on the stringy-haired man. She said it in distaste, and she stepped away from him.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, hesitantly lowering his wand, "and a very good one at that. Mr. Krum…were you perhaps under the Imperious Curse? How did it feel, the last you remember?"

"I vas…foggy? Ees that the vord? I could noot control my own actions…I could noot see vhat I vas doing… I thought that I vas going towards the Coop…" He looked over to me, and I knew that he hadn't done it, but the lifeless look in his eyes, that I had remembered, the way he looked as if he hadn't cared at all… "It vas an Eempeerioos Curse, Leahn," he said towards me, his eyes horrified and pleading. "Leahn…"

"Don't touch me," I whispered, stuffing my face into my mother's shoulder. "Please…not now…"

I didn't know how to describe the pain that had gone through me, and I couldn't describe my horror at knowing that it was Viktor who had done it. _I thought he was my friend…_ All of the Quidditch practice, all of the studying together, his hand in mine, it hadn't meant anything. If he truly cared about me, then he should have been able to break the curse!

_That's asking for a lot,_ my brain reminded me. _When the Fourth Years went through breaking the curse in DADA, you couldn't even tell that you were in it…_you _couldn't even break free…_

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and I looked up to see that Harry and Cedric were on the ground, the Triwizard Cup glowing brightly between them. Harry was lying on top of Cedric, even as everyone ran over to them. I stayed where I was with my family.

There were screams of joy, and then Albus pulled Harry back, yelling his name twice. I could see Harry's lips move, but I couldn't tell what he was saying.

"What's going on here?" Cornelius Fudge asked, pushing through the crowd and almost stepping on me. "What's happened? My God—Diggory! Dumbledore, he's dead!"

A knife was instantly stabbed in my gut when the cries rebounded. _Cedric…is dead? No! He can't be dead! _Somehow I scrambled up off of my butt, out of my parent's grasping hands, and over to him.

"C-Cedric…" I mumbled, shaking him. "C-Cedric can't be dead…they said that this was a safe contest…no…my fr-friend isn't dead…"

Hands pulled me away. Hands pulled Harry away. Loving things were whispered in our ears, but I couldn't hear them. I only kept reaching for him, for Harry, for something to grasp onto…

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**I don't have a lot to say, other than I'm sad that Part One is almost over. But not to worry, Part II is practically finished! (The climax still has to be written, and its kind of difficult, but it will be done, I promise you!)**

**Anyways, here's an excerpt from the next (and last) chapter!**

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jonathan asked, glancing at the scared look in Leigh's eyes. "I don't think she'll be too happy to see him…"

"Did you see the look in her eyes when Viktor was holding Nicole?" Rene asked, seeing Viktor gently take her daughter's hand. Leigh didn't refuse. "She looked like she had never seen a man holding a baby before. Something big is going to happen, I know it."

Jonathan looked a slight bit scared. "Leigh's not…she can't…not yet…"

"She's the same age as I was when I married you," Rene said softly, looking into her husband's eyes. "You've got to remember that. I had your baby not too long after that. We were in love. I'm not saying that they are, but…" She looked back into the room to see that Viktor now held both of Leigh's hands, her broom in her lap, and a small smile on her face. "They could be."


	20. The Parting of Ways

**Last chapter of PART ONE! I got antsy over the few snow days, being cooped up, that I decided to put all of my story into ONE story, and not into three separate parts. So yes, it is official, this story will be THREE PARTS! :D Be excited.(:**

**Dislcaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am but a poor teenage bookstore clerk.**

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**The Parting of Ways**

"He hasn't moved from that spot…" Rene whispered, holding her newest baby girl to her chest as she watched Viktor Krum sitting next to her eldest unconscious baby girl. "Not even to eat…I feel like a bad parent for even leaving to use the restroom."

Molly and Jonathan next to her told her to stop thinking like that, that she had done nothing wrong and was a great mother. She'd always been able to help her out with these kind of things, like her guilt overstaying in Quidditch or leaving, or leaving her children at home while she'd gone out to practice. Molly had been her good friend since Rene had been on the Wimbourne Wasps. At the moment they all stood in the doorway, watching Viktor sitting there, a broomstick—hers, or his?—in his hands, looking down onto it.

"I just came to say that we've got to go," Molly Weasley said, her eyes tearing up. "I wish that I could stay and make sure that Leigh Ann is okay, but I can't. We've got to get home."

Rene handed over her newest baby girl to Jonathan and attacked her friend in a hug. "I'm going to miss you, Molly."

"Will I see you at Christmas?"

"I hope so. You and your family have got to come over for the Fourth of July. Promise me?" she asked against her shoulder.

"I promise." And with that, they said their goodbyes.

"Viktor," Rene said, walking into the ward. For the past couple of days, Harry Potter had been lying in one of them, but not anymore. Leigh Ann was the only one in there. "Maybe you should go for a walk. I think it would make you feel better."

"I cannoot," he said softly, still looking at the broom. "Noot unteel she vakes."

"She forgives you," Rene said softly, sitting next to him. She put her hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her with puffy red eyes. "My daughter is your friend, and always will be. She'll be hurt, yes, but you weren't the one who did that to her. It was Moody—err, Barty Crouch Jr. who was doing that you her, through you."

"I should half been able to break hees coontrool."

Jonathan, behind her, put his hand on Viktor's shoulder also. "Even the most powerful wizard has a difficult time getting out of an Imperious Curse." He looked to her, as if asking, _"Right?"_

Rene had to try hard not to crack a smile at her husband's horrible knowledge of magic. "He's right, you know."

Jonathan let out a breath of air. "She'll be fine. My little girl is strong."

"She ees," Viktor stated, looking at her puny form on the bed.

As if on cue, Leigh Ann started to move. Her face scrunched up, as if she had just eaten something bad, and her bright, hazel eyes were open to the world.

"Hey, sweetheart," Jonathan said, moving to stroke her hair out of her face. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," she said, though she cracked a small smile. "They serve this horrible liquid food here, really, you shouldn't try it…"

Rene rolled her eyes. "If you're cracking jokes, I'm sure you're fine."

Viktor just sat back as Rene, Leigh Ann, and Jonathan talked for a few moments, about what had happened the past few days with Professor Moody, Barty Crouch Jr., Harry Potter, and Cedric's poor family. Her eyes were wet, but she looked like she refused to cry. They told her about the accusation that Lord Voldemort was back, and that Harry insisted. She told them that if Harry insisted, then she believed him.

"And Viktor, here…he hasn't left your side," Jonathan said, as his daughter's eyes finally collided with Viktor's. "I don't think the boy's even eaten."

Rene knew that she should probably leave the two alone, but she almost couldn't bring herself to do it. So, she stood up, situated her baby, and walked out of the room, grabbing her husband's arm along the way.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jonathan asked, glancing at the scared look in Leigh's eyes. "I don't think she'll be too happy to see him…"

"Did you see the look in her eyes when Viktor was holding Nicole?" Rene asked, seeing Viktor gently take her daughter's hand. Leigh didn't refuse. "She looked like she had never seen a man holding a baby before. I think she's got a thing for him, no matter how much she wants to hate him because he's a professional Quidditch player."

Jonathan looked a slight bit scared. "Leigh's not…she can't…not yet…"

"She's the same age as I was when I married you," Rene said softly, looking into her husband's eyes. "You've got to remember that. I had your baby not too long after that. We were in love. I'm not saying that they are, but…" She looked back into the room to see that Viktor now held both of Leigh's hands, her broom in her lap, and a small smile on her face. "They could be."

**Leigh Ann**

Even a month later, when I looked back, I noticed how it all happened so quickly. I had made friends, and lost them. One of them had lost his life, and I would never forget him, and he would be in my prayers every night. I had gotten stronger, knowing more about myself. I had gotten over my fears. I had learned so much…

And now, it was time to go home.

"I'm supposedly going t' see you over the summer, but its still goodbye. So goodbye," Ron said, holding out his hand and blushing. I ignored it and pulled him into a hug, laughing at how half-heartedly he fought to get out of it. "Gerroff me, Leigh."

Harry and Hermione chuckled, and then I turned to them. "Hermione, remember my offer! I know you and your parents have never been to America, but I swear, you're welcome on the ranch."

"I'll put the offer on the table," she said, giving me a hug. "I'm going to miss you!"

"I'm going to miss you, too!" Was I going to cry again? Damn, I was too sentimental. No wonder Grandpa always said I'd never make a good _real_ soldier. "Harry, get over here," I growled, pulling him into my hug. He made sure he wasn't going alone, and Ron was in our little group hug, too. "I'm going to miss you all so much! Write me?"

"Of course!"

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Blimey, who do you take us for?"

I chuckled and wiped a tear from my eyes. "Oh, shuddup, Ron."

Suddenly I heard something behind me, and I turned to see that Viktor was standing there. He was looking at me. "Could…I talk to you?" he wondered, and of course I wouldn't say no.

"S-sure." I said my final goodbyes to my friends and then walked along with Viktor. It reminded me of our first meeting, where we hadn't known the other, we'd just been two teenagers in 'like.' "What do you need?" I asked, feeling slightly light-headed with a fast-beating heart. "Of course, you don't have to need anything to want to talk to me, but…"

He smiled softly, saying, "I vish to see you over the soomer."

This made me smile, too. "Do you know when the match between America and Bulgaria is this year?" Viktor shook his head. "Then write me when you do figure it out, and tell me when it is. We'll be able to spend that week together."

"You vill write me, as vell?"

"Of course," I said, reaching down and grabbing his hand. "I'm going to miss you, Viktor."

"I vill miss you, as vell." I stood there for a moment, looking into his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, knowing that it was him and no one else. No one was controlling him, telling him what to do. He was Viktor Krum. Not the Quidditch superstar, not the "hunky bon-bon," but Viktor Krum, my friend. That was when I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Anna, come on! We're about to set off!" I looked over to see Jason waving at me through the thick crowd of people.

"You vill not valk?" Viktor asked incredulously.

I laughed, barely noticing that our hands were still together. "To Hogsmede, yeah, but we have vehicles to take us home. They're called Humvees."

He sighed and shook his head. "I vill never oonderstand the Eenglish."

"No, you probably won't."

"ANNA!"

I chuckled, releasing our hands. I felt strangely cold without his hand around mine. "Well, my brother's starting to sound frantic, so…I'll see you this summer, Viktor. You're welcome any time."

He took my hand up again and ran his lips gently over the back of my fingers. "I vill see you again, Leahn Ahn."

And so, two very different people, from two very different places, formed a bond. A completely weirded out bond, but a bond in the least. But, as I look back now, I'm pretty happy about that bond we made.

_**...**_

_"You are telling me that you did not completely your mission?"_

_"No, I did not, Grand Wizard."_

_"That girl will be the end of the Organization. Now, you have sealed your fate."_

_"I did all that I could. I made her name appear from the Goblet, I used Polyjuice potion to change my appearance into her friend Mary. I charmed the dragon into attacking her. I even posessed that deplorable Viktor Krum to use an Unforgivable Curse on her. Give me one more chance. I will get her. It was not a good time. They had a Legimens, and all of the Headmasters were around. They are the strongest of our kind."_

_"But you are the strongest of your kind, are you not?"_

_"I...I am, Sir." _

_"Then get me Leigh Ann Nelson by the Winter Solstice. Either I have her or I have your head on a pike, do you understand me?"_

_"I...I do, Sir." I'm sorry, Leigh Ann._

_"Then get out of my sight."_

* * *

**And, onto Part II!**

"_I don't think that I can do this."_

"_You have to, or else you'll be a traitor to Our cause and your family will never be safe from Us."_

"_What do you mean, my family will never be safe? I'm looking at a part of it right now!"_

"_The Order needs to know that We can trust you."_

"_If my own family can't trust me, how can _you_?"_

"_Either you do it, or I'll do it."_

"_She's my _sister_."_

"_Sweetheart, you won't be a part of the Order, of Our perfect society, until you prove that you will do anything to rid the world of Muggle filth. You are lucky you are able to look upon one such as me, with that dirt in your bloodstream. You do want to clean first the United States, then the world, don't you?"_

"_I...I do."_

"_Then say the word, Jessica."_

"_...C..."_

"_Say it, Jessica."_

"_...Crucio."_

"_Say it like you mean it!"_

"_CRUCIO!"_


	21. July First

**I want to apologize for not being able to make up my mind. But sitting at home for three days, the first day being filled with stomach flu, so no school, and the other two days filled with snow day boredness (I hate snow,) I have decided to be paranoid and switch over my "Summer, Love, and Quidditch" story (part II) back over to the Acadamy, considering they're the same story, just different parts. Please don't hate me! **

**This is just Part II of The Acadamy, so I should probably call it that.(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. At all. So, yeah.(:**

* * *

**PART TWO**

**America**

_**July Fifth**_

"_I don't think that I can do this."_

"_You have to, or else you'll be a traitor to Our cause and your family will never be safe from Us."_

"_What do you mean, my family will never be safe? I'm looking at a part of it right now!"_

"_The Order needs to know that We can trust you."_

"_If my own family can't trust me, how can _you_?"_

"_Either you do it, or I'll do it."_

"_She's my _sister_."_

"_Sweetheart, you won't be a part of the Order, of Our perfect society, until you prove that you will do anything to rid the world of Muggle filth. You are lucky you are able to look upon one such as me, with that dirt in your bloodstream. You do want to clean first the United States, then the world, don't you?"_

"_I...I do."_

"_Then say the word, Jessica."_

"_...C..."_

"_Say it, Jessica."_

"_...Crucio."_

"_Say it like you mean it!"_

"_CRUCIO!"_

**July First, 1995**

I'd never seen something so beautiful, with short green grass that was soft and painted, the blue sky flying over me, the smell of sea salt gracing my nose. Stands rose all the way around, clocking the actual view of the sea, but I knew that it was there and it calmed me.

In the shape of an oval, five hundred feet long and a hundred and eighty feet wide, it had a small central circle of approximately two feet in diameter. At each end there were three perfectly-maintained hoop goal posts of different heights, surrounded by a scoring area. I knew that the early barrel-goals had been replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst they were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.

But since 1883, there had been regulations, and I kept my Quidditch Pitch in perfect order.

After all, Leigh Nelson's Quidditch pitches were world-renowned.

I smiled at that small compliment that I'd gotten, flying around to the goalposts which were being painted red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July coming up. Each stand even had its own color, and the colonial buildings of the mostly-wizard town nearby was even filled with nothing but red, white, blue, and the American way.

"Hey, watch where you're swinging that thing!" I shouted to one of the wizards helping decorate the stadium. My red wall now had white stars all over it. "I would have been starry all night!"

"My bad, Miss Nelson," the man said, blushing a little bit.

I rolled my eyes at him and charmed my wall back to completely red. _This stadium has to be _perfect_…_

"Hey, Leigh Ann!" came a cry, and I looked down from my height to see a familiar-looking black head of hair. "They'll be at the house in ten minutes on the Port Key. If you're not ready, Mom'll flip out on you."

I looked down to my watch to see that it was already one o'clock. "Oh. Sorry, Jason, I just lost track of time!"

"You've been doing that a lot, lately…"

I came down from my newly-painted wall, to stand next to my tall, black-haired, blue-eyed brother and his usually impish grin. Right now, though, it was set in a stern line. "But listen, the Bulgarian National Quidditch team is going to be here in less than five minutes. I might be late, but I've got to see them here. Rachael is sick, and—"

Jason just held up a hand. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you just want to see Viktor Krum."

I blushed, but I felt that the largest smile was on my face. Viktor Krum, one of my very good friends, was coming to America to play against our team. I had talked to him by letter all summer, but finally I would be able to see him again. "Maybe," I said, looking away from his eyes. "So…will you give my excuse?"

At first, he didn't say anything. But then he resigned and put a hand on my shoulder, shaking me. "Sure, kid. But you owe me. They're yours and Mom's friends, not mine."

"Oh, come on, you got along pretty well with Bill."

He smirked. "Yeah, guess I did. Did I ever tell you that I wanted to be a Curse Breaker when I graduate?"

I punched him in the arm. "Oh, go jump in a lake."

"With this heat? Gladly."

I rolled my eyes and kicked off from the ground, about a foot above his head. "Get off of my pitch, Nelson."

"I'll see you at dinner," he said with a laugh. "And if you ever call me Nelson again, I'll kick you through your pitch's rings." And, with that, he Apparated with a small _pop_!

I rolled my eyes, ready to kick off again, when I heard, _"They're here!"_

_Oh, Merlin, do I look okay?_ I looked down at my torn jeans and stained white t-shirt, quickly feeling that it was _NOT _okay! I waved my wand at my shirt, turning it into a fitted brown tank top with a white half jacket up top, short-sleeved. Then I waved them at my pants, which turned into not-too-tight skinny jeans, dark wash. I pulled my hair up behind me in a ponytail with a bump instead of my bangs down and got rid of my shoes, turning them into a pair of cute white high heels, quickly painting my toenails brown. (With magic, of course.) Lastly I used _"Scourfy!" _on my face to rid myself of any excess paint, and added a small amount of makeup.

Harold Flannigan, the assistant manager of the American National Quidditch Team, looked me up and down when I landed next to him. "Trying to impress someone, are you?"

"Nope. Just wanted to look good for a friend."

"Sure…" he said with a roll of his eyes.

I nervously smoothed down the front of my shirt, holding my broom in front of me with shaking hands. _Why am I so nervous, its just Viktor!_ I tried to tell myself, but it didn't work, so I was still nervous and jittery, feeling slightly lightheaded. _I know all of the team already, I've met them __before…_

"Ah, here they are. Keeper, Lev Zograf. You know him already, of course."

I reached forwards and shook hands with the dark-haired man. "Good to see you again, Lev. You did well at the World Cup, but I heard that you blocked over three-fourths of the Irish's goals in your battle against them last month!"

He smiled, his bright teeth stunningly white against his darker skin. "I ahm happy that you are keeping oop. You are all groown oop now, though." Lev smirked and stepped back, nudging up two more dark-haired men. "Ivan Volkov and Pyotr Vulchanov. Beaters. I do not knoow if you remember theem."

She shook hands with both of them, scrutinizing them. "You," she said, pointing to Ivan, "need to work on your grip."

"Vhat?"

"From that handshake you just gave me, I can tell that you've probably lost more than one Beater's bat." I turned to the others and raised one finely-shaped eyebrow. "Am I right?"

The others laughed, clapping Ivan on the back and saying, "_She's got you_!" in Bulgarian and English alike.

"Alexei Levski," a blonde-haired, dark-eyed, older man said, stepping forwards. He looked me over with obvious interest, not even looking me in the eyes. "A pleesoor."

"It'll be even more of a pleasure if you'd look at my face, not my breasts." The other men laughed at the unfortunate Chaser, and I shook my head at him, smiling. "Lets see… Where are my other two Chasers? Ah, Clara Ivanova!" I exclaimed, shaking the woman's hand vigorously.

"Have ve meet?" she asked in heavily-accented English, returning the shake, but hesitantly.

"No, I don't think so, but you are the only woman on this team, and I'm grateful for it! Happy day, happy day, a woman on the Bulgarian team!"

She looked a little overwhelmed as she took her hand away. "Ah. Vell, good to meet you."

"Good to meet you too. And now, I'm missing Dimitorv." I went up and threw my arms around the older man, the oldest on the team, but also the Captain. "Aren't you getting close to retirement, old man?" I asked with a laugh, hugging him tight. I knew that I wouldn't break him.

The graying-haired man laughed and hugged me back. "Its good to see you too, Leigh Ann. And I still have another two good years left in me." He pulled back. "How's your mother?"

"Same as always, though tired. Little Nikki has discovered that even though she can't talk, somehow she can sing. So Mom's not going to get any sleep for the next few weeks, and hasn't been."

Suddenly someone came up behind me, wrapping thick, hard arms around my waist. I was pulled against a completely hard and familiar chest, long legs, and a rough cheek. "Heeloo, Neelsoon," a hot breath said right against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"VIKTOR!" I shouted in glee, turning around in his arms and threw mine around him, hugging him to me. "I can't believe it, you're actually here!" I was so happy that I was acting like a child in a candy store. _Viktor shouldn't remind you of candy_, my brain chided, but I just smiled and held onto him. Viktor was in South Carolina!

"I vould noot mees my oown game," he said, hugging me back. I had to remember that he was my friend, and not melt into his muscular chest, or remember what it looked like, or…

I shook my head, pulling back and smiling into his familiar brown eyes. "No, guess not…but guess what!"

"Vhat?" he asked, and I was suddenly aware that my feet were not touching the ground.

"Put me down, you big oaf, and I'll tell you," I grunted, realizing that I also couldn't breathe with his arms so tight around me. A slight amount of flush appeared in his ears, and he did as I said. He was wearing his uniform, maroon with black lining, but without his forearm guards, gloves, goggles, and, like the rest of the men, his Quidditch shirt was hanging around his hips, the black turtleneck underneath on their chests instead. "Alright, so, I've been practicing…"

"Oof course," he said, his hands still on my elbows, my arms resting on top of his. "I vould eexpect noothing less."

"And I just got my Letter from the Academy," I explained, loving the feel of his bare forearms, noticing that my hands weren't even large enough to cover half… "So," I said, trying to rid myself of those thoughts, "I've just discovered that I'm Captain of the Army's Quidditch Team!"

"_Coongratoolations_," he said sincerely, and I used this as another excuse to hug him, though he was the one who really did the hugging. When I was set back down, I noticed that Harold had taken the rest of the team around, to show them quarters and the field. _Thank youuuu, Harold._ "I knew that you could do eet."

"Well, without you, it never would have happened." He flushed a little more at this, and I smiled at him, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. We walked along the pitch, I avoiding letting my heels dig into my perfect grass. "So, whaddya think?"

"The stadioom…eet ees _beauteefool_. Eet ees all doone by you?"

"Mostly," I said, feeling instant pride at the look of wonderment on his face. "I don't know where this place would be without me…I swear, if I get white stars shot at me one more time, the castor is going to get shot through the goal."

Viktor picked his arm up from my hand and wrapped it around my shoulder. It was so heavy that I actually gave a small _Oomph!_ "Eet ees good to see you again, Leahn." He had laughter in his voice, and when I looked up, he was smiling. _Merlin, I missed you. _And apparently I said it out loud.

"I missed you," I said softly, looking away from his face. "I mean, I know that you probably had a lot to do, none of that including my nagging about you being a famous Quidditch player, but towards the end, it was a lot of fun."

Suddenly his face went dark, and he slowly removed his arm, putting his hand on my shoulder blades instead. "Leahn, I vant to say—"

"Don't say it again," I warned him, giving him a slight glare. He'd done something that he wasn't proud of, back at Hogwarts, when we'd both been champions. He'd been under the Imperius Curse, and had used the Crucio Curse on me. "You've apologized enough. It wasn't you, I _know_ it wasn't you, so that's that. It wasn't your fault."

"Boot I—"

"Viktor," I growled, stopping in my tracks and turning on him. "I don't want to hear it. Come on, you've just got here! I want to spend time with you, not argue." Suddenly, as though my brain knew that I wanted the conversation to turn around, I remembered the dinner. "Oh! Good Lord, I forgot."

"Vhat?" he asked, looking slightly worried.

"The Weasleys are coming over for the week, too. I completely forgot! And then…hey, Viktor, why don't you just come on over for dinner? Hermione and hopefully her parents will be here, and you were friends with Ron, right?"

He looked very confused, and I supposed that it would take him a moment to process all of the English. "Ah…I moost geet permeesioon, boot…"

"Great!" I exclaimed, hugging his arm. I then made my clipboard appear out of thin air, quickly writing my address down onto it and giving him the sheet of paper. "Here's my address, you don't have to wear anything fancy. You can Floo if you want. Jason'll love to see you again, and so will my mom!"

"I am looking forvard to eet," he said, and I saw the sincerity in his deep, chocolate brown eyes, though he seemed a little confused at my sudden departure.

I looked down at my watch and saw that it was almost two. "Ah! Okay, Viktor, I've got to go, so I'll see you later…" In my haste, I jumped up and planted a kiss on his cheek, before quickly Apparating home with a loud _CRACK!_

The second I appeared in the kitchen in my house, my grandmother—not my mother, my _grandmother_—was on me. "Where in the _world_ have you been? Your mother has been keeping the guests company, and if you want dinner to go as planned, then you need to get an apron on and help me this instant!"

You see, my grandmother wasn't old and stuffy like other grandmothers. No, she was my Gamma, with deeply tanned skin, a relatively smooth face, short, dark hair, and a Cherokee heritage. Part of that was given to me, with long legs and high cheekbones, but she was way taller than I was.

I smiled and put an apron around me, helping out. My mother then Apparated into the kitchen, looking at me. "How long have you been here?"

I blushed and about told her that I had just gotten there, but Gamma cut in. "She's been in here for a half an hour, helping me. Do you need her?"

"Well, her friends are here, so I supposed that she would want to greet them…" my mother said, looking at the two of us curiously.

Oh, yeah, did I mention that my Gamma was amazingly awesome?

"Can I, real quick?" I asked the amazing, most wonderful Gamma in the world, sticking my lower lip out. "Please? I've been working all day."

My grandmother's eyes narrowed, but she finally shooed us both out of "her" kitchen. I walked through our very open dining room, which had been charmed to be bigger, as well as the table, and out into the large living room in the front of the house.

Sitting in our many armchairs, rocking chairs, and our couch, were the Weasley and Granger families, talking animatedly to each other.

Molly Weasley, a plump, pale, red-haired, and kind woman, was sitting in a rocking chair, holding Nicole in her arms, rocking the small child. Mr. Weasley, Arthur, was a tall, weary-looking man with the same colored red hair and very kind eyes and was sitting next to his wife in another rocking chair.

On the couch sat Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Ron Weasley, three of my very good friends, talking happily and admiring the room, waiting to see America. I hadn't seen them since the Triwizard Tournament, where we'd shared a teary goodbye.

In a loveseat by the fireplace sat Mr. and Mrs. Granger, two very happy looking adults who were dressed nicely and had brown hair. Hermione took more after her father, who had given her her trusting smile and eyes.

And then there was Fred, George, and another Weasley whom I had never met. _That must be Charlie_, I thought, thinking that he was probably the shortest of the Weasleys. He might have been six foot, but made up for his "shortness" with his bulk. He was strong-armed, with many scars and burns up and down them. He had so many freckles that it looked as if he had a tan. When he looked up, he had the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen.

"Hey, everyone," I said, smiling. None of them had even seen me come in. "Did I miss anything?" Fred and George were instantly on top of me. They wrapped their arms around me, each kissing one side of my face. "What was that for?"

"Your apron says Kiss the Chef!" Fred—or at least I think it was Fred—said, a wide, cheeky smile on his face.

"Where've y'been?" George demanded, hugging me close.

"We were starting to worry!"

"But don't worry, we've been keeping your mother company."

"Lovely woman, that one."

"And your grandmother—a wonderful cook!"

"Though she's got one heck of a backswing with that frying pan…"

I laughed at Fred saying that. "What, did you try to steal some dessert while her back was turned?"

"Who, us?" George asked, mock hurt on his face. "Never!"

"Oh, leave her alone you two," came Hermione's voice, and I saw that she and Ginny were standing in front of me, smiles on their faces. The twins moved out of the way and the girls took their turns hugging me. "We've missed you!"

"It's going to be lonely without you at Hogwarts next year," Ginny said into my shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, you guys just wanted to see America," I said, chuckling, but trying to hold a stern face.

Hermione pulled back, a smile on her face. "We _really_ did."

I looked over to the couch to see that Ron was just sitting there. "Fred, George, get your brother's lazy bum up here so I can hug him too." The twins went over and grabbed their brother up under the arms, dragging him over to me. "Hi, Ron," I said, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, gerroff me, Leigh," he mumbled, blushing from head to toe.

"I missed you too, Ron." Then, standing behind him was the Weasley I'd never met. "I'd say you're Charlie, am I right?"

He smiled a large, white smile, engulfing my small hand in his large one. "Sure am. Now I see why George asked you to the ball, you really are stunning."

I blushed deeply. "Thanks, Charlie. Glad to see that you have the charm of the rest of your brothers." He smirked like the rogue he was, wrapping an arm around me and giving me a brotherly hug.

Next up were the Grangers, who I hadn't met before. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Mr. Granger smiled sweetly. "Hermione hasn't stopped talking about you. Well, only when talking about Harry, Ron, and Ginny." He shook my hand. "It's good to finally meet you."

I then turned to Mrs. Granger, shaking her hand too. "I'm so glad that you both could come. I hear that you've never been to America?"

She shook her head, smiling Hermione's smile. "No, and I'm sure that it will be simply wonderful."

I smiled back. "It will be, I promise."

And lastly, there were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, though Mrs. Weasley wouldn't just settle for a handshake. She stood up and hugged me, holding baby Nicole so that she wouldn't get squished between us. "Hello, deary. Such a pleasure to see you again."

"Same here, Mrs. Weasley."

Mr. Weasley stood up and shook my hand, patting my back with his other. "Good to see you again, Leigh. Fred and George have been going on and on about…what was it? Your suggestion…"

"Oh…right. The photograph solution that makes the developed pictures do crazy things," I said, smiling over to the twins. "How are you guys doing with that?"

Fred smiled, though it wasn't big. "We're doing."

"That bad, huh?"

"Not _bad_ exactly…"

"But Fred burnt half of his right eyebrow off in testing it."

I smiled wider, feeling that having my friends back was the best thing in the world. "Hey, it was only a suggestion…"

"But a bloody brilliant one at that!"

I shook my head in laughter, but my mother had to ruin the moment by asking, "Leigh, have you seen your sister?"

"Like I keep track of what she's doing." With the look she gave me, though, I quickly said, "I-I'm not sure. She left before I did and hasn't come back."

She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl. If she's not back by four, I'll send her an—"

"Owl's here," I said, wondering exactly why things happened like that, as if on cue. I fed the brown barn owl a piece of bread and sent it on its way. I unrolled the small letter and read it, knowing that Mom was about to flip. "Says that she can't come home. Something about a Demiguise?" I read farther, feeling a slight ping of sadness. "Oh… Sam is sick. And she has to put the silencing charms on all of the Fwooper again before tomorrow… Leo is lonely…excuses, excuses… And…OH!"

"What?" my mother asked, worry in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Its…the start of Erumpent mating season," I said, my eyes feeling my eyes go wide. _Good Lord… Jessica, you're going to become nothing but a splatter on the wall one of these days…_

Charlie suddenly stood, his blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Alright, who is Jessica, and has she ever dealt with Erumpents before?" he asked, his eyes shifting left and right, worrying his hands.

I laughed, wondering if he was really asking that, but then remembering that he'd never even met my sister. "She's my sister, a year younger than me. And she's successfully bred four Erumpent for the African Ministry of Magic. Only one went awry, and that was because Jessica _wasn't_ there. Good thing I stayed far enough away… Poor beasts. Jessica had my ass for that."

"Leigh, language!"

"Sorry, Mom, but it was true. I couldn't sit down for a week."

Rene sighed and shook her head, taking the letter from me. "Oh…well, I suppose I'll have to excuse her…for _now_. Though I must say that she's being very rude."

"They've already met her," I said, frowning. How was it that, whenever Jessica did something wrong, she got off easy, but when I did something wrong it was thrown right back in my face?

My mother glared at me. "She hasn't met the Grangers, or Charlie, Leigh Anna Marie. Now, I want you to show our guests to their rooms."

I sighed and nodded, quickly putting on a face for them. I led them down one of the more prominent halls, off to the right of the den. "Alright, so Mr. and Mrs. Granger, the room right here, next to my grandparents. Don't worry, they're Muggles, too. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the room across from them… Ginny, you're at the end of the hall." I then took the rest of them to the second floor, where the other rooms were located. "Ron, the room on the left, Hermione, the room on the right, Charlie, the room at the end. Fred, George, I'll show you your rooms in a moment. Its special, so you can still keep up on your inventions. Go on back down to the living room and I'll show it to you." I gave them both a look. "I know you're just here so that you can open an American branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes."

Fred smiled widely. "You know us so well."

"But really," Fred said, walking away from me with his brother, "we came to see you, too."

"Sure," I said, drawing the word out. Then, I turned back to Charlie. I was going to reassure him that Jessica had everything under control, because he had looked completely stressed during my reading of the letter. "Hey, Charlie."

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back to me. He had been looking inside his room, apparently impressed.

"Don't worry about the animals my little sister is working with. They're in good hands."

"How old is she? Sixteen?" he asked, a frown on his thin lips.

"Seventeen."

"But…I thought that you—"

_Augh…this again._ I held up a hand to him. "She's nine months younger than me. So, for three months out of the year, we're the same age. It's a pain in my backside." He still looked worried, though. I sighed. "She's been working with them since she was ten. The first one she had was a Re'em. She found the poor guy injured, dying in a forest we were camping in up towards Quebec. She insisted that we bring him home, and she didn't leave his side. After that, he never left her. Well…until he passed away last year. She hasn't been the same. She won't leave the sanctuary she's built for them."

He looked a little curious, now. "When will I get to meet this girl?"

"Probably never, with her schedule. If she's not with her animals, studying, dancing, or studying again, she's sleeping." I snorted. "As if she sleeps…"

He looked _very_ curious now. "Hmm…alright. Well, I'll see you at dinner, Leigh Ann…nice to meet you…" and he walked into his room, almost walking into the door jam.

I laughed, shaking my head, and turned around to go and show Fed and George their bomb shelter.

_**Viktor Krum**_

She had gained back the weight she had lost, though it looked better on her. Before, when she had lost all of that weight, her clothes had started to hang off of her body, and she had always looked swallow and sickly.

Now, though, she was back to being filled out, full of life and happy. Her body was perfect, if not "perfect" as in other people's standards, but perfect to him, nonetheless. Her hourglass figure was the only thing he wanted to see on her, other than perhaps the round stomach of a woman bearing a child.

Viktor had been furious when his teammates had looked at her as if she were something to eat. And, when she wasn't looking, the men who worked for her couldn't take their eyes off of her backside or her chest. Well, neither could he, but there was a difference! He knew that he had to do something, to keep the others away from her until he knew when to make his move, but what?

_She isn't mine. There's nothing I can do._ Viktor quickly shook his head, taking his eyes off of her and trying to concentrate on the conversation at hand. Something about Quidditch. Someone was asking him a question. Why couldn't he pay attention?

"Hey, Viktor, you okay?" Jason asked, elbowing the Quidditch player in the side.

He snapped out of his daze of picturing Leigh Ann with a child growing inside of her and turned his attention back to her mother. "Err—my apoologeez. Vhat vere you saying?"

Rene smiled, a knowing look in her hazel eyes. "I was asking you if you would join us for our Fourth of July celebration."

Viktor had to remember what the Fourth of July was for the Americans—it was their "independence day." Apparently they had fireworks and something called a "cook-out." He wasn't sure about it, but if he could be around Leigh Ann then he knew it would be just fine. "Oolf course."

"You'll have to get Muggle clothing," Leigh Ann sang as she danced around the table, refilling platters of food with magic and manually refilling drinks. She came to refill his cup, leaning down next to him and showing an enticing amount of cleavage as she threw her hair over one shoulder, smiling to him. "You okay with that?"

_If you stay right there, I will be,_ he thought, taking her in. At the pitch earlier, she had smelled like freshly cut grass and some kind of soft vanilla scent. Now she smelled like flour instead of grass, but the vanilla smell was still there. "Yees."

"Then that means you have to come to my birthday party, too," she said with a large, bright smile, setting her pitcher of "sweet tea" down onto the table. Her lips were centimeters away from his, and he wanted to lean forwards and close the distance between them and taste the vanilla on her lips.

"You vill be eighteen?"

"Yup!" Her eyes were slightly hesitant as she asked, "So…you'll come?"

"I vill be there."

"I'm so _excited_!" she squealed. She then wrapped both of her arms around his neck, hugging his head to her perfect chest. He reveled in how soft it was, wanting to stay there forever.

But she released him and ran over to her mother. "Alright, we've got to plan. What's the theme? Have we already decided, or do we need to?"

Jason then quickly butted in before his sister could ramble on. "It's a week before your birthday and you still haven't chosen a theme?"

Leigh chose to ignore him. "I'll need a guest list. Mom, am I excused? _Please_?"

It took Rene a few moments to think, as her daughter could never hold an entire conversation. "Err…yeah, go ahead."

Leigh leaned down and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thanks!"

Viktor watched as she skipped happily out of the room, jeans snug against the plumpness of her butt. He didn't think he'd ever seen something so perfect, either. He didn't care if she was "overweight" by other people's standards; he enjoyed the way she was at that moment.

"I guess I'll take the men," Jason said with a full mouth, waving his fork around.

"For vhat?" Viktor asked, still not letting his eyes leave the spot where Leigh Ann had disappeared.

"To get clothes," he explained, though not before he swallowed. "This town is mainly Muggle. You can't be seen walking around in your Quidditch robes, or any robes for that matter. Besides, you're from Bulgaria, I doubt that you have summer clothing."

"Ah…soommer cloothing." _**Muggle **__clothing._ He didn't think that whatever was going to happen was going to go over well. Muggle clothing? He wasn't so sure he liked that idea.

"Leigh Ann, Mrs. Granger and I will take the girls, then, and we'll all make sure to dress up for you boys." She gave a wink to Viktor, who then couldn't help but blush down to his toes. He was sure that his mother knew about the impure thoughts he'd been having about her daughter.

"I'd say lets split the guys up," Jason said, looking at all of them, "but considering that all of you are pureblood, besides you, Mr. Granger, I'd say that none of you know how to dress Muggle." Of course, none of them said anything, so he continued. "Lets see…George, Fred, Charlie, Mr. Weasley, Ron…"

"I can help," Mr. Granger said, and he looked like he actually wanted to and would enjoy it. "I'm sure that I can do _something_, at least."

Rene smiled wickedly. "And the three of us women have Ginny, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and…well, I guess that's it for us. We'll have an easier time than you boys, I'm sure."

Viktor was wondering how exactly they would make him dress. He'd seen some Muggle clothing and he wasn't so sure that he would like it. Then again, he'd seen Leigh Ann in Muggle clothing and couldn't get enough of her.

_I guess we'll have to see what happens…_

* * *

**Here's a look at the next chapter, "July Second**,"

Viktor rushed up the hill, determined to get to Leigh before she did something that she would regret. He saw her walking ahead, and he quickly caught up to her, softly grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him.

Her beautiful face was streaked with tears, and she refused to look him in the face. He didn't say anything, though, only pulled her close and held her softly against him. She didn't move to wrap her arms back around him, only grasped his jersey and put her face in his chest. She silently cried there, staying stiff, as if she were ashamed about what had happened, like she didn't want him to see her cry.

"You are beauteefool the way you are," he said softly, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. She gasped and looked up, trying to form words but failing, trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. Her hazel eyes were more brown than green at the moment, red and puffy, and were very wide, frightened.

"V-Viktor," she whispered, shaking her head and letting another tear fall, "I-I'm sorry, its j-just that—"

He took one hand up from her waist to cup the side of her face, using his thumb to wipe away that stray tear. "Shh."


	22. July Second

**Again, I'm still apologizing! Thank you all for watching, though!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. 'Nuff said(:**

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**July Second**

**Football Isn't Just a Guy Sport**

"I can't wear red?"

"No! Not with your hair!"

"And I need pastels?"

"Hermione, you're a Muggle and you don't know how to match colors?"

"Hey, give me a break. I'm usually in robes."

"Sorry, I guess that having to wear those uniforms all the time makes you know how to match your things. Mrs. Weasley, this would look lovely on you!"

"Really? I'm not so sure."

"I'm sure, just try it on! Mrs. Granger, could you show Mrs. Weasley where the changing rooms are?"

"I don't know if I like this."

"Mom, you look great."

"You're just saying that because you have to."

"No, it fits you nicely. But go down a size, you aren't pregnant anymore."

"Can I wear blue?"

"Of course, or green, Ginny. Either with your hair color."

"Green? Ugh."

"Okay, then, wear blue."

"Am I allowed to wear brown?"

"Yeah, its fine, Hermione."

"Okay, I've got what I want."

"Me too."

"Me three!"

"Ginny, Mom, Mrs. Granger?"

"I guess."

"Yes."

"I suppose."

And so, with much more conversation besides that, we finished our shopping, went back to change into our new clothes before heading back out to town and meet up with the boys. All adults besides my mother had stayed behind, and even then, my mother would join back up with them as soon as we met up with the boys.

"Do you think they're done?" Ginny asked, looking pretty in her green dress that flowed everywhere except for the arms, around her thighs, and the neck. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, her bangs across her forehead and teased up into firecracker bangs.

"They're men," I said, rolling my eyes as I pulled my purse up over my shoulder farther. "All they usually care about getting is a t-shirt and baggy cargo pants. Well, my brother does at least."

"Your brother isn't Viktor," my mother reminded me. I had to force myself not to see something in her eyes.

_No, he sure isn't_, I thought, remembering the way he had looked at me when he'd first come in the door wearing his long-sleeved black turtleneck and the long, maroon pants and the shiny black shoes. His muscles had look delicious, and his face had been even more handsome and planed than before.

"We're meeting up at the football stadium, right?" Ginny asked, turning her head to look for the group that was mostly composed of her brothers.

"Football," Fred scoffed, elbowing his brother in the side. "Never heard of such a thing."

"Where you come from, it's actually what we call soccer," my mother said with a chuckle. "We take football pretty seriously around here. But normally it isn't played during the summer. This is a scrimmage between the two local high schools, the same as in Quidditch."

"Well, I hope the boys are ready to learn how to play, because they're going to," I said with a laugh. "I mean, come on, even _I_ know how to play, and I'm a girl. We're not _allowed_ to play."

"What?" Ginny asked, sounding appalled. "What do you mean, we're not allowed to play?"

"I'll explain later," my mom said, a twinkle in her eyes, probably of laughter, like usual. She pointed up ahead, smiling. "The boys are here."

I would have stopped in my tracks had Ron not been behind me. He kept me moving, so I gracefully stumbled and caught myself, blushing.

He looked…_wow._

That was the only way to describe it!

He was wearing a button-down, deep red collared shirt, the maroon always a good color on him. It stretched across his broad shoulders, straining against his biceps. And his pants? Merlin, I didn't even want to look down there with fear of fainting.

"Hey," I said softly as we met in the middle, I looking up at him from underneath my lashes. "You look…great." _Lame. Lame, lame, lame, lame, LAME. _"Red's a good color on you." _Even lamer, Leigh. Smooth._

The boys were showing off their clothes to the others, so none of them even noticed Viktor and I looking at each other, standing in our own little world. "You do as vell," he said softly, his deep brown eyes crinkling. "And your reed ees good too."

I laughed, loving the way he talked and all of his little accents put on easy words. "Muggle clothes suit you."

It was one of those moments where time stood still, as you looked into that one person's eyes and your senses were heightened. I noticed that his hair wasn't just black, but it had slight shades of chocolate brown in it as well. His eyes weren't completely brown, but had small flecks of gold appearing just around the center. And his smell… gorgeous in and of itself.

He nodded, his eyes suddenly serious. "You…they, ah…" He slowly raised his hand, gently twirling a piece of hair behind my ear, his fingers softly brushing my cheek in the same movement. "You as vell."

I thought that I was blushing down to my feet. "Well, ah…I guess we'd better get going to the field."

Viktor seemed to snap out of his little hypnosis and a small amount of red appeared in his ears. "_Da_. Ve should go."

_**Viktor Krum**_

A football field…strange, but—well, it was just strange. One hundred yards long, with long white lines every ten yards. Two tall posts that had a square without a top on top of them were at either end of the green grass. What had Jonathan Nelson called them? Field goals?

"Hey, boys, you didn't think that you were going to start without me, did you?"

The voice of Leigh Ann rang out across the field, and the many tall, muscular men stopped their horsing around and looked up. "LEIGH ANN!" they cried, right before they stampeded up the hill and pulled her into their midst.

Viktor was slightly worried as he watched her getting roughed up, being slapped on the back, her hair being mussed, and slight punches on the arms. She gave them back all that she was worth, though, and was laughing along with them.

"Okay, okay, alright, guys!" she exclaimed, laughing. She prodded them along until the larger group was situated in front of the stationary smaller one. "This is the group of friends I met while over in England."

The entire group besides Viktor shook hands with everyone else, introducing themselves. "Who's the big guy?" one man, who was just as tall as Viktor, but leaner, asked, leaning one arm on Leigh Ann's shoulder. He was dark-haired, dark-skinned but light-eyed, handsome but boyish. He would have been a perfect Seeker if he'd been a Wizard.

"That would be Viktor Krum, Daniel. Not…that it has any importance to you guys. But, in Bulgaria, Viktor is a famous sports star."

"Neece to meet you," he said, holding out a hand to the man. Viktor glared at him, squeezing his hand to try and tell him that Leigh Ann was off-limits. _Off-limits…as in mine? Or off-limits as in she _will_ be mine?_

He wanted her to be his, what with that little scrap of pants that barely went down to half thigh, showing off extremely long, luscious tanned legs. Her top was white and somehow it flowed around her body without touching her arms. Her shoulders were bare to him for the first time since the Yule Ball, and he wanted to place his hands there, followed by his lips.

"Alright, you men and your Alpha Male tendencies, lets play some ball!" she said, slapping both of them on the backs with a small frown on her face. "Boys, Viktor doesn't know how to play, and the other men are from England, meaning that their football is our soccer. Teach 'em the ropes." Leigh then grabbed Viktor's arm, pulling him to a stop. She drug her finger down his nose, which had been broken at least three times from a Bludger. "This sport can be as dangerous as any Bludger. Be careful?"

"_Da_."

She then smiled widely, running over to the right side of the field, on the longest side. There, standing, were a bunch of girls who were almost painfully thin, though one or two of them had some kinds of curves. "Ginny, Hermione, get over here!"

The girls were all wearing short red skirts with tight black shorts underneath, and red form-fitting tank tops that left nothing to the imagination. The word _INDIANS_ was printed on the front in white And when they handed Leigh Ann one of the outfits, he felt his mouth starting to water.

The man, Daniel, slapped Viktor's back a little harder than necessary and started to pull him along. "Come on, Bulgaria. We're going to show you how to play a _real _sport."

_**A While Later...**_

It may have taken a little while, but quickly enough the men learned how to play football. It turned out that George and Fred were the best components for wide receivers, and Charlie had been a great linebacker and tackle. Viktor, on the other hand, had not only been a perfect linebacker, but wasn't that bad at being a quarterback, either.

It was "half-time," the score fourteen to thirteen, Viktor's team winning against Daniel's, when they walked over to the water coolers, drenched in sweat. The girls—the magical ones, at least—were now dressed in what the others were wearing and had decided to run out onto the field to practice, now that the boys were taking a break.

"Not bad," one man named Sam, who was also Viktor's tight end, said, slapping Viktor on the back. "For someone who's never even heard of the sport, you've done pretty good."

"_He_—no. I half heard oof eet beefoor."

"Really?" the boy asked, toweling off his hair with an oversized rag. "When?"

"Leahn's father tooght me soome," he said curtly, taking a long swig of water and trying to keep his eyes off of the long, tight legs of the one woman his eyes could never leave. At the moment she was doing something the other men had told him were called "the splits", which looked incredibly painful.

Daniel, his opposing quarterback, merely grunted in disapproval. "What the hell did old man Nelson want with you?"

Viktor set his jaw to keep from doing something to the man. "Ve vere toolking. He had teem oolf to see his daughter, and ve vere at the same meeleetoory coonfereence."

Daniel's eyes were a piercing ice blue, with the darkest black hair that Viktor had ever seen, and dark, tanned skin and a strong, menacing face. He crushed his cup bitterly, throwing to the ground and stomping off into the locker rooms.

"Deed I say soomthing?" he asked, smirking in mirth at the fact that the man was angry with him. If he had a thing about Leigh Ann, it would be _over._

A small but built boy who was perfect for linebacker, and was one, with light blonde hair and light blue eyes smiled and took a sip of his drink. What was his name? Tanner? "Daniel and Anna dated once. She was the one who broke up with him, though he won't admit it. He's too protective, or something like that."

Now Viktor felt his fists clenching, and he looked back at Leigh Ann, who was laughing and dancing to the beat of some kind of music the girls, also called "cheerleaders," were playing. Her hips swayed enticingly, and it must have been some kind of _come hither_ dance, because he wanted to go over there and kiss her full on the mouth, claiming her as his.

Tanner looked at Viktor with a raised, dry eyebrow. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Vhat?" he asked innocently, though he was sweating slightly just at the fact that someone knew his secret.

The boy rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Leigh Ann's a great girl. Be good to her."

Viktor turned his face away from the boy, putting interest in his paper cup. "I do noot knoow vhat you are toolking aboot."

"You're a horrible liar, Krum. But…just make sure you treat her well, alright? We all have feelings for her." When Tanner saw the look in Viktor's eyes, he said, "Err—not like _that_, but like a brother, you know?"

Viktor grunted. "I see."

"No, I don't think you do. Just remember, she broke up with Daniel because he was too protective. Lay off a little, and she'll warm up even more. I think she might even actually like you. What'd you do for that to happen?"

He smiled softly. "We…talked."

"Man," Sam said, shaking his head depressingly, "I wish all that I had to do was talk to a girl and get her to like me."

"I saw your eyes on the English brunette, Sam," Tanner said with rolled eyes. He then turned back to Viktor. "Don't let him fool you, Viktor. Sam's a lady's man."

Viktor smiled softly and shook his head, tuning the two-man argument out as he sat down and took deep breaths. Yes, football was tiring, but it was fun, and the look of admiration from Leigh and her screams of encouragement were worth every single bruise that he got.

_**Leigh Ann**_

"Daniel and Viktor are going to kill each other."

I looked up from my talk with Jessica, one of the girls on the cheerleading team, to see what Ginny had meant by 'kill'. Of course, it was football, so there were going to be bruises, cuts, and injuries. But killing?

Viktor, in the red uniform, was almost indistinguishable from Daniel, who was in the blue uniform, because they were both covered in mud. No one else seemed to be as much as those two.

"Oh, Merlin," I groaned, rubbing my face. "Daniel's doing it again."

Ginny smiled widely. "Why, because you like Krum?"

"Well, yeah, but—" My eyes widened when I realized what I had just said. I turned to her and clasped her hands. "Ginny, you have to promise not to say anything!"

She rolled her eyes and straightened her skirt in the same moment. "I haven't said anything since I first saw you two together, so why would I _now_? Blimey. Viktor Krum's gonna be off the market. That'll make some girls pretty upset."

I blushed, watching the timer to the game going down to the last half minute. It was twenty-one to twenty, and Daniel had the ball. They were on the thirty yard line.

I stood up, seeing that Viktor was a linebacker for this quarter too, and yelled out, "KICK HIS ASS, VIKTOR!"

Jason, my brother, looked up from his line in Daniel's team with a slight amount of annoyance, but I just smiled and waved at him.

"That guy, Viktor, right?" I heard Samantha, one of the top girls on the cheerleading team and the skinniest, say. She was laying in the grass, her head on one of her followers' laps as she sucked on a lollypop. "He's pretty hot."

"And he's taken," Ginny said with a sly smile, looking at me with knowing eyes. I blushed, and Hermione looked on with questioning eyes.

Samantha's smile dropped, and she stuck her thick lower lip out in a pout. She actually made the effort to sit up. "But look at that _ass_! That's too perfect of an ass to be taken. Seriously, all the good guys are either gay or taken. Mostly gay. He isn't gay, is he?"

I felt a slow flush of anger appearing in my cheeks. _Is that really what she thinks, or has she just seen me looking at him? Hell, ever since I dated Daniel, she's hung all over him!_ "He's taken, Moore. Back off."

"Who's he taken by, _you_?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and a scoffing laugh. She motioned for her three cronies, Ashley, Kayla, and Taylor, to laugh along with her. "Yeah, right! First of all, a hunk like him deserves someone better than a simple-minded military brat. I never did believe that you deserved Daniel. And secondly, I doubt he likes a woman who's _fat_. I mean, I just feel sorry for those men who are chubby chasers."

Lets just say that my vision went red.

_**Viktor Krum**_

"Hey, everyone stop!"

Viktor looked up to see that Sam was the one who had run out on the field, and he felt perturbed that the boy was interrupting the game. "Sam, vhat is vong?"

He ran up, his face flushed and a slight frown on his face. "The girls are fighting, and I have no idea what the hell for! But Samantha is about to get beat to a pulp."

"We're taking a timeout," Daniel called, and the entire team started rushing up to the side of the field. All they could see was a circle of girls. "Who's fighting her?"

"Leigh Ann."

Viktor then charged ahead of all of the men, gently pushing aside the girls to see that Leigh Ann was getting pulled back by Ginny and Hermione, Leigh Ann struggling to go back to the pulp on the ground.

"You're crazy!" the girl whom Viktor assumed was Samantha cried, holding her broken nose with one shaking hand. "Bitch! You're crazy!"

Leigh got loose again and pulled the girl up by her hair, kneeing her in the stomach. The girl screamed and twisted, trying to get out of Leigh's grip. "You've picked the wrong woman to insult, Moore!" she cried, throwing the woman backwards. She put her foot on the woman's stomach. "Call me a bitch _one more time_."

Then, before she could do anymore damage, Viktor reached out and grabbed Leigh around the waist and pulled her back, holding her arms down. "Stoop."

"V—Viktor, damn it, let me go!" she shouted, kicking him in the shin where he'd already had a bruise.

He grunted and felt slightly angry, holding her down harder. "There ees noo reason to fight!" He hugged her closer, bending down to whisper in her ear, "_Vhatever eet vas, I vill assure you that eet vas noot eemportant."_

She slowly calmed down, but her breathing was still heavy. Slowly, finally, he lowered her the few inches to the ground, taking a deep breath. "You…you're right, Viktor." She slowly stepped forwards, and he was ready to grab her again when she spat on Samantha, who then screamed in protest. "She's not worth it."

Then, Leigh turned around and stormed away, away from the simpering, bloodied and bruised Samantha, away from all the hot, sweaty men, and the tired women. The men somehow regained their senses and started to help Samantha, someone saying that they could finish the game some other time.

"You'd better follow her," Ginny said softly, elbowing him in the side. "Samantha got her pretty upset."

"Vhat deed she say?" Viktor asked, feeling his brow scrunching up in wonder. _What could she have said to make Leigh Ann so upset?_

Hermione, next to Ginny, looked down to her feet, a deep sadness etched on her face. "Ah… Samantha called Leigh…fat."

Viktor felt speechless as he watched the form of Leigh disappear over the farthest hill. "She…ah…" He couldn't even tell her that, no, Leigh _wasn't_ fat, that she was perfect just the way she was. "I vill geet her."

"Hurry," Hermione and Ginny whispered at the same time, looking downhearted.

Viktor rushed up the hill, determined to get to Leigh before she did something that she would regret. He saw her walking ahead, and he quickly caught up to her, softly grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him.

Her beautiful face was streaked with tears, and she refused to look him in the face. He didn't say anything, though, only pulled her close and held her softly against him. She didn't move to wrap her arms back around him, only grasped his jersey and put her face in his chest. She silently cried there, staying stiff, as if she were ashamed about what had happened, like she didn't want him to see her cry.

"You are beauteefool the way you are," he said softly, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. She gasped and looked up, trying to form words but failing, trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. Her hazel eyes were more brown than green at the moment, red and puffy, and were very wide, frightened.

"V-Viktor," she whispered, shaking her head and letting another tear fall, "I-I'm sorry, its j-just that—"

He took one hand up from her waist to cup the side of her face, using his thumb to wipe away that stray tear. "Shh."

She clenched her eyes shut angrily, pulling his hand down from the side of her face. "I-I need to go."

"_He_—no," he said firmly, holding her in place. "Vhat she said hurt you."

Leigh laughed without mirth, her eyes full of pity. "No shit."

He grabbed her chin betwixt his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to look at him. "She vas vong to teel you that."

"Its not like I'm the smallest card in the deck, eh, Vic?" she asked mockingly, trying to look away, but he wouldn't let her. "Besides, she's an idiot. I-I don't care what she thinks." Then her eyes took on a look of hardness, and she growled, "Let me go, Viktor."

"Then look at me, and teel me the truth."

She did, and pointedly said, "You're hurting me."

He hesitantly let her go, feeling slightly guilty that he had hurt her for those few moments. "I apoologees." But he still wouldn't remove his hand from her waist. "You _do_ care vhat she theenks. And I ahm teeling you that I do noot."

She growled and pushed away from him with more strength than he would have thought would come from her. "You don't have to lie just to make me feel better." She was now out of his arms.

"Leahn—"

"_No_!" she shouted angrily, balling up her fist and angrily pounding on his chest once. "I-I'm not thin, Viktor, and I never will be, alright? I'm fine with my body the way it is, its just that s-some people aren't, and maybe I'm not okay with that."

He gestured his hand towards her body. "Deed I ever say anytheeng aboot this?" he asked, starting to feel slightly angered at her attitude. She tried to argue, to find something, but he quickly pointed at her and growled, "_No_, I half noot!"

"I didn't…I never said…you were never…" She pounded him on the chest once more. "You never had to, damn it!"

Viktor, in a moment of rage, reached forwards and grasped her upper arm, pulling her back to him. The look of defiance in her eyes was only slightly marred by the twinge of fear. He noticed that there were four faint red lines down her left cheek that were bleeding slightly.

He then used his other hand to roughly grab the hair on the back of her head, pulling her up until her lips were only a fraction of an inch from his.

"Viktor—" she gasped, and her eyes were confused as his possessive ones looked down to her plump petal lips. He felt a very primal urge to pull her close and make her his, to finally know what it felt like to have her in his mouth, and maybe push her to the ground and have her right then and there.

The entire game, Daniel had been too rough, as if threatening him to stay away from her, but he wouldn't have it. The entire time, all he could see was himself pummeling Daniel into the ground, and then having her run to him and kiss him, finally.

But now, seeing the fear in her eyes, and feeling his own anger at what other people couldn't see, he had to let her go and take a step back. "I…I ahm soory." He reached forwards, as if to comfort her, but she took a step back.

She bitterly rubbed her arm where he had grabbed her, not looking him in the eyes. "Don't touch me."

"I'm soory, boot I cannoot stand you talking aboot yourseelf leek that!" he shouted, narrowing his eyes at her, using his arms to show her his meaning. He shouted a curse word in Bulgarian, running his hand through his stubble of hair, glad that she had no idea what it meant.

Leigh Ann clenched her eyes shut once, twice, before she looked up at him with confused eyes. "It…really doesn't mean anything to you that I'm…overweight?"

"You are noot overweight," he said softly, looking out to the view of the small town that he had at the moment, his arms crossed over his chest. "You are…perfect."

She took a few deep breaths, her eyes confused, a jumble of emotions. He finally knew what he had to do, and he pulled out his wand, grasping her hand. "Viktor, what—"

"Troost me."

Leigh took another deep breath, closing her hazel eyes and nodding. He gently laid his wand on the skin of her chest, in the V-neck of the jersey she was wearing. He used a wordless incantation to form the small amber stone, held by only a small golden chain.

As soon as he had finished, she reached up and felt it. "Wh-what is this?"

"Eet ees my geeft to you."

Her eyes were now slightly wary, and perhaps afraid? "I-I can't. It's too valuable, I really can't take a necklace from you, Viktor."

"You are noot taking eet. I gave eet to you." He then pointed his wand at the small band in her hair, making it disappear into thin air. She gasped as her hair tumbled down around her shoulders, gently touching the swell of her hips. It was long, thick, wavy, and he wanted to run his fingers through it. "Ah, I lied."

"What?" she asked breathlessly, fear in her eyes.

He smiled softly at her. "Now, Leahn, now you are perfect."

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**Awwww! I want a man like how I write Viktor! Gosh, I'm such a romantic!**

**Anyways, here's a look at "July Third:"!**

"I vould…like that very mooch. Leahn, I…" and he stopped me on the sidewalk, pulling me in front of him with a small frown on his face, a burrow between his eyebrows.

Slowly, he brought his other hand up, gently cupping the side of my face, and my heart completely stopped. My senses were heightened; I could feel the calluses on his hands, smell the deep aroma of his aftershave, and even see every little prick of his five o'clock shadow at noon. Too bad I couldn't hear my own heartbeat or breathing, because the first had stopped and the second one was being held. I couldn't help but touch my tongue to my lower lip nervously, letting my teeth graze it a little.

Slowly, _agonizingly_ slowly, he pulled my face up, and gently, so softly, he touched his lips to—


	23. July Third

**Um, not a lot to say, other than that Part II to this entire story is a lot different than the beginning! Its more about teenage feelings than "I've got to do this for my school and be an adult so that people can finally respect me." We all just need to be a teenager every now and then. I AM a teenager and I still have to remind myself that I need to loosen up a little.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor do I own Spongebob Squarepants, though I would love to own both and be very, very rich.**

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**July Third**

"**Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Please Let Me Spy on Your Team."**

Her house had been beautiful on the first day, and it still was, even on the third day. He walked up the pure white steps, stepping across the light hardwood, to knock on the beautiful white French door.

"The door's open," came the stern voice of Leigh Ann's grandmother, so he opened the door to step into the spacious greeting room, which adjoined the large family room with that huge fireplace.

He walked through the living room, to the dining room, to see that Leigh's grandmother was setting the table for lunch. "Excuse me, Meesees Neelsoon," he said to her tall, young, American-Indian-heritage grandmother, "I vas vondering—"

"She's either in her room, or in the baby's room." The woman didn't stop moving for a second. "Her room is on the third floor, first door on the left. The baby's room is here on the first floor, just take a right at the end of the hallway and it'll be the first door on the right."

Viktor nodded, slowly backing out of the woman's way before he felt that he would get into any trouble. He liked the woman, truly, he did, but he wasn't so sure that she liked him. Perhaps it took a while to get underneath her skin, to get her to like anyone. Then again, her husband—a veteran of WWII and Vietnam, much older than her—was a easygoing man full of laughter. Maybe he was her other half.

He then made his way to the baby's room, since it was the closest, and opened the door to see a large, open white room that had pink accents everywhere. The crib was large, surrounded by huge stuffed animals, and all of the furniture was a light baby pink that made him not want to see pink for a long time.

But, sitting in one of the pink rocking chairs, dozed off with the baby in her arms, was Leigh. A soft music was playing in the background, and it sounded like something a Muggle would have written a long time ago. He knew that she was using a Timeturner to get everything done in her day, and she was probably exhausted.

He made his way over to her, kneeling in front of her, not wanting to make a sound that might accidentally wake her up. Her mouth was in a little _O_ of slumber, and her eyelashes gently touched her cheekbones. Rising and falling on the swell of her breasts was the small amber necklace he had conjured for her as well as the small head of baby Nicole, her peach skin much lighter than her older sister's.

His chest swelled when he saw not only the baby lying there, but his necklace. He'd never seen something so peaceful, or beautiful, asleep like this, just for him to watch, just for him to have.

Then again, this was a little strange for him, and he felt himself blushing as he stood up, gently putting a hand on her delicate shoulder. "Leahn," he whispered, gently shaking her. "Leahn, vake oop."

A small smile formed on her face as she shrugged his hand off, cuddling the baby closer. "Hmm…" she said in her sleep, bringing her feet up to rest under her.

Viktor frowned. "Leahn. Ve are gooing to mees the game."

"Game…" she said, and now she was frowning too. Slowly, she opened her eyes, one at a time, and gave him a small, sleepy grin. "Hey, Viktor. What are you doing in America?"

_She still thinks she's sleeping,_ he thought with a small smile. "Eet ees for the game between Amereeca and Bulgaria."

She opened her eyes a little wider, and looked around. And when she blushed, her entire face went red. "O-oh. Sorry, I guess I fell asleep." She slowly stood up, making sure to cradle the baby safely in her arms. "Ah…here, let me set baby Nikki down," she said softly, gently leaning over and putting the baby in her pink-and-white-heart-covered crib. He got a beautiful view of short-clad backside, and he wanted to reach forwards and pull her back against him, leaning down to nip at the back of her neck and—

He shook his head at the fact that what she was doing at the moment was innocent, and that the thoughts inside his head were _not_. Just because he had put his necklace around her neck, it did _not_ mean that he could be thinking those things. He rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath.

"Go down and sit in the family room," she said, smiling up at him. "I've got to go and change. Wait for me?" She then reached up on her tiptoes, giving him a peck on the cheek. He couldn't help but nod as he held a hand over the spot, watching her hips sway as she walked away. Did she have an extra swing in her step, or had she always walked like that?

He didn't ever think that he'd get over how beautiful her body was.

_**Leigh Ann**_

I laughed at my brother as he tripped over the sidewalk. "Watch where you're going, Jason. You're supposed to know this town forwards, backwards, and upside down, right?"

"Doesn't mean I know it right-side up, right?" he asked with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes and directed the others to move ahead of us. The adults were a part of the group this time, too, and we must've made quite a scene walking down the side of the road in such a little town, especially since there had only been two red-heads in all the town in the first place.

Then was when I noticed that Viktor was lagging behind. "Viktor," I said, feeling my eyebrows scrunch together whenever he didn't answer. I stopped walking until the others were far ahead and he was caught up with me. "Hey." I put my hand on his forearm, making him look at me. "Are you alright?"

He was very handsome today, in his khaki shorts and dark blue Hollister shirt. His smell had overridden the smell of Hollister itself, kind of mixing together, and it was wonderful. That, and the fact that he hadn't shaved today, made me want to run my fingers across his cheeks.

He looked away as soon as he had looked at me, then grunted. "I soopoose."

_This isn't like him,_ I thought, then instantly shook my head. Of _course_ it was like Viktor, because when something was bugging him you had to beat it out of him. "Hey," I said again, stopping him from moving by putting my hands on his chest. "Stop it. Tell me what's wrong."

He let out a large breath before grasping my hands and looking at me. "I ahm soory. Please, leet us go to the game."

"No, I want to know what's wrong." Was it wrong to know that feeling his hands in mine was amazing? That having his thumbs stroking the backs of my hands was the best feeling I'd felt in a long time? "Please, tell me."

He sighed again, slowly bringing my right hand up to his lips and letting them slowly brush against the back. It was agony on my insides. "I do noot vish to lie to you."

I felt myself frowning nonetheless. "Why would you be lying to me?"

Viktor slowly sat my hands down, taking a step away from me. "My team…vell, the Captain, he vishes me to…to…"

_Oh, this._ "He wants you to spy on me."

He looked very surprised, taking a step back. "H-how deed you—?"

"I know everything about my pitch," I said with a wink, feeling myself smiling. I then took his hand, intertwining our fingers, and started pulling him along. "Come on, the others will start to wonder."

"You are noot angry?" he asked in that tone of his, the one that he almost always used whenever he asked a question.

I laughed and tugged him along a little faster. "Of course not! If I got mad at the fact that someone was sent to spy on me, I'd be angry all the time!"

He visibly relaxed, even smiling a slight amount. "I am glad. Boot vhat should I teel heem?"

"Tell them that I keep my Quidditch secrets almost as well as recipes. The secrets stay in the family until someone is married." I then felt him walk a little closer to me, and I felt…safe. Warm. Wanted. I looked up at him, almost wanting to put my hand on the necklace he had given me. "Do you know what I mean?"

He was smiling, and he squeezed my hand gently, his thumb tenderly rubbing the back. "Oolf course. Boot secrets stay oonteel marriage? Eet ees…ah…_harsh_."

"I guess it us, but Quidditch secrets are important. But if you ask _really_ nicely, I can give you the recipe for that apple pie you liked so much." I gave him a wink and smiled.

"I vould…like that very mooch. Leahn, I…" and he stopped me on the sidewalk, pulling me in front of him with a small frown on his face, a burrow between his eyebrows.

Slowly, he brought his other hand up, gently cupping the side of my face, and my heart completely stopped. My senses were heightened; I could feel the calluses on his hands, smell the deep aroma of his aftershave, and even see every little prick of his five o'clock shadow at noon. Too bad I couldn't hear my own heartbeat or breathing, because the first had stopped and the second one was being held. I couldn't help but touch my tongue to my lower lip nervously, letting my teeth graze it a little.

Slowly, _agonizingly_ slowly, he pulled my face up, and gently, so softly, he touched his lips to—

"Hey mates, you coming?"

We quickly pulled away from each other, and I could feel the heat coming up in my face. He might have been blushing as well, but I wasn't sure because I couldn't look at him. "Y-yeah," I squeaked, trying not to trip as I walked forwards. "We'll be there in a sec, Ron."

The redhead seemed oblivious as he shrugged and turned around, walking back towards the others. I guessed that he had probably drawn the shortest stick. "Whatever. It was your idea for this baseball game."

"I-I guess we'd better get going," I said softly, not daring to look him in the eyes. "Don't want to miss the game."

"I soopoose noot."

_Yeah, sure. Thanks, Ron._

_**Viktor Krum**_

The baseball field was nothing but a large diamond, with a smaller diamond with little squares at the corners on the inside. Metal seats were placed around the front two sides, and there was also a stand where one could buy food and drink.

The seats were already half-full, and the wizarding families took seats at the bottom of the left side of seats. Out on the field, a group of mostly boys with a few girls were throwing around a small white ball. A few of them were getting warmed up, but all of them were wearing a red color with white accents.

In a small alcove on the right side of bleachers was a team dressed in dark blue and white.

Leigh Ann was telling the Weasleys what everything was, from the pitcher's mound to the bleachers, which they were sitting on. Viktor could still see the four faint scratches lining down the side of her cheek, and somehow he wished that everyone could see Leigh as he saw her.

She was wearing another pair of those "shorts," which let him see ever expanse of her long, taught legs. Tall shoes made her legs seem slimmer than normal, and showed off how beautiful they were, smooth. The shirt that covered the top of her gorgeous body was not even a shirt. It only came off one shoulder, showing another expanse of creamy skin. It was white, which turned out to be one of the best colors on her darker skin.

His amber necklace sat right on the seam of the flowing material, almost glowing in the afternoon sun.

_I cannot believe that I almost kissed her_, he thought, rubbing his face with one hand, trying to get the memory out of his mind. He'd been wanting to kiss her since the first day he'd met her, but when it'd almost happened, he'd felt as if nothing else could keep him alive. Her eyes had fogged over in want, and she had easily come towards him, as if she had wanted it as well. Her lips had been parted, moist, and he'd thought that when she'd licked her lips, he had died.

And then Harry Potter's best friend had interrupted. He'd never felt such an anger in his life. Because he had been interrupted in having something that he so obviously wanted. If he didn't have such pride, he would have grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, making the point that she was his and no one else's.

But he _did_ have pride, and he knew that at the moment it was too wounded to do anything about his predicament. He could reach over and brush the back of her hand with his fingers on accident, though, and watch the delectable blush run up her long neck. She tried to ignore him, it seemed, because she kept talking to the others, though subconsciously she was scooting slightly closer to him.

"Hey, mom, lets go get some drinks," she said suddenly, standing up. "I want the guys to try a hotdog."

"Vhat ees a hoot doog?" he asked, already feeling a slight amount of dread. In Bulgaria, he had a dog that was almost his best friend. He didn't get to see it much, but his mother took good care of it.

"You eat it," she said with a small smile.

He instantly felt disgusted. "You eat hoot doogs?"

"It's not _really_ a dog, that's just what they call it." She then reached down and grabbed his hand, standing him up. "Come on, I'll show you."

Fred, George, and Ginny also decided to follow, and they stood in line. Leigh Ann seemed to know everyone in town, and introduced the small group to what seemed like everyone in the park.

"Hey, Leigh Ann, who're your friends?" came a female voice, and Leigh smiled and hugged a small, redheaded girl. She looked to be perhaps fifteen, sixteen, with long strawberry-blonde hair and freckles all over her.

And she had to have been all of five foot tall.

"Its so good to see you again, Becca!" Leigh let the girl go, and Viktor noticed that she was wearing the red uniform, and at the moment she was pulling her hair up and putting a cap on her head. "Everyone, this is Rebecca Sampson, junior coach of the Elks team. Rebecca, this Ginny Weasley and her brothers, Fred and George. And this is Viktor Krum."

He felt a slight cockiness in the fact that she came back and took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. He felt a slight protection that had never been in him before, and he wanted to find out what it was, and wanted to know if perhaps she felt a slight amount of jealousy from any of the girls looking at him, or who had shown interest?

"Hello," one of the twins said, shaking her hand. "I'm George. Or am I Fred?"

The other twin stepped up, shaking her other hand. He gave his twin a glare. "Oi, I thought _I _was George today. So you're Fred."

Rebecca laughed and then reached up, giving them hugs. "Here in the Carolinas, we don't give handshakes to friends." After she pulled away from both, she said, "Well, at least in South Carolina we don't . The North is a little less eccentric."

Fred and George laughed, though Viktor could have sworn that the latter of the two looked a little attracted to this Rebecca Sampson. She offered to show them around, but Leigh told her that she had promised them a hotdog.

"I still do noot oonderstand thees _hoot doogs_."

"Where're you from, Krum?" Rebecca asked, a small smile on her face as she turned away from watching the blue team practicing on the field.

"Bulgaria."

Her eyebrows were raised to her hairline. "Wow, you're a long way from home, aren't you? Well, technically you gingers are too, but England's only over the ocean. Say, ever been to Germany?"

"Come on, Viktor, Ginny, lets let the twins talk with their new friend and we'll get our food and drinks." She pulled them along, and finally they were at the front of the line. She ordered thirteen drinks, one for everyone, and then six hotdogs. She held as many drinks as she could, then made Viktor hold twice as many, and then Ginny picked up the last ones.

They ventured back to the bleachers for the second time and handed out the "sodas" to everyone.

"Where are Fred and George?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking at her hotdog apprehensively. "Not getting in to trouble, are they?"

"Nope," Leigh said with a small smile. "I think one of them is in definite like."

Now Mrs. Weasley didn't even care about the hotdog. She looked as if she'd just seen the biggest diamond in the world. "Which one?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Leigh was smiling, and she looked like she was going to enjoy this entire situation. "Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, she's a good person and is great with kids."

"Is she…you know."

"Nope. As Muggle as the rest of the baseball team."

"She plays baseball?"

"She coaches it." Leigh smiled, then looked to Viktor and winked at him.

Viktor couldn't help but smile back. He knew that his concentration would never even stray towards the game, but would instead keep his eyes on her.

_**Later That Night...**_

"_You know that all of them know how to do the _Reynoold'sRicochet_. You know that they do! With _Leahn Oon_, her daughter,_ _as their coach, you know that they know every single defensive and offensive maneuver in that pretty little head._"

Viktor was barely paying attention to Dimitrov; he'd been daydreaming about _her_, about the game, about football, about his necklace…but caught onto the last part and knew that his Captain was trying to get to him by saying things about Leigh Ann. Of _course_ Leigh Ann knew every single maneuver out there, she was Rene Reynolds's daughter!

"_Tell us everything that she knows,_" Dimitrov growled, slapping both hands irritably down on the table in front of Viktor. "_I want to know that your traipsing off with her is worth every minute you are not on the field, practicing._"

"_I know that she knows defensive maneuvers better than offensive,_" Viktor said, remembering his first talk with her back at Hogwarts. "_But she keeps her training secret, even more so than a woman with a recipe._"

"_Even from you?_"

"_Even from me._"

Dimitrov pushed himself up off of the table, irritably running his hands through his hair. "_Then seduce it out of her._"

Viktor quickly stood up, wanting to strangle his Captain, but knowing it would be career mutiny. The team watched on silently. "_I think not._"

"_Excuse me?_"

"_I will do nothing to harm her._"

Slowly, a small smile started to form on Dimitrov's face. "_You…are in love with her._" It was turning more devious by the moment.

It took a moment for Viktor to answer. Did he love her? Perhaps not yet. But in time, he might be able to grow to love that woman. "_No, I am not. But I do care for her, and I will not touch a hair on her head for your use. She is pure, and I will not break that._"

"_A touch here, a kiss there…she will be like putty in your hands, and we will win against the __Americans. You do not remember last year, do you? We barely beat them. They might be able to make it to the Cup this year with her helping them. Do you understand, it would be your fault? You are the one who taught her to fly again!_"

"_I said no. If you want to learn some of her techniques, go outside right now and watch the Americans practice._"

Dimitrov's eyes widened. "_They are practicing _now_?_ _But—you were just with her, why did you not tell us that they were practicing!_"

"_The Americans practice every day from six in the morning until ten, and then from three until six. Any time before six is our practice time, and anything after six, or from ten until three, is ours as well. I did not know if she would be at practice, as she has gotten little sleep over the past few days._" A few snickers ran through the team, and he glared at them. They stopped laughing and looked away, as if something more interesting had popped up.

"_Maybe I will get someone else to get under her skin, then,_" Dimitrov growled, looking over to the vile-grinning Levski. "_Levski, when you met her, I noticed that you showed some interest. If you—_"

"_She is MINE, Dimitrov!_"

Viktor hadn't noticed that he'd punched the wooden table, or left a dent, or had raised his voice. He only could see Levski's little blonde neck in between his hands, being strangled.

"_Then prove it,_" Dimitrov growled, stepping in front of Viktor and looking directly into his eyes. "_Show me something that proves that statement._"

Suddenly Clara stepped up, something that she normally didn't do, and spoke up. "_She is wearing the Krum necklace, if that proves anything, Dimitrov._"

"_What?_" he asked, turning around to face the woman. "_The Krum amber necklace, did you say?_" She nodded, and Dimitrov turned back to Viktor. "_And she does not know that she belongs to you while she is wearing it._"

Jaw clamped down, Viktor nodded tersely. "_I put it on her so that men like Levski would not touch her when they came to watch the game. And, it was also a gift._"

"_To soften her up, I like it,_" Dimitrov said, pulling a cigar out of thin air and clamping it down between his teeth. "_Tomorrow, at the Fourth of July celebration, the team will get to go as a day of reprieve. As the Americans will obviously not practice in the morning, we will. You are excused. I expect you to…soften her up a bit more, Viktor. And if you do not…well, I will figure out a punishment later._"

Viktor felt as if his teeth would break if he clamped them down any further, but there was no way that he would be able to pull them apart. "_Just because I know her, and am attracted, does not mean that you can use me to get to her._"

"_No, but maybe I can use her to get to _you_, Viktor. And if I have to go to those lengths to make you understand, then so be it._" Vasily Dimitrov was apparently done with this conversation, as he turned away from Viktor. "_Alexei, Clara, you two watch their Chasers, and _Leahn Oohn _very closely. Viktor, watch the…ah…_Ariel_ woman, their Seeker. And the other one, I cannot remember his name, but watch him. Ivan, and Pyotr, their Beaters and the Chaser's movement patterns. And Lev, I expect you to watch the Keeper and the replacement as close as possible._"

"_Yes, sir,_" all of them but Viktor said in unison. They then quickly exited the meeting room, to walk out onto the field and sit in the stands to watch.

_Leigh Ann,_ he thought as he walked out onto the field, watching as she expertly dove in and out around the hoops on a broom that he didn't think he'd ever seen before, _please, forgive me if something should happen, as I would never forgive myself._

Viktor sat down in the stands, watching Ariel Singleton and Maximus Brankovitch, their Seekers, as they circled the field, practicing their defensive maneuvers and fakes. Obviously, the Americans were not strong in their female Seeker, but in their Chasers and Keeper, because his eyes kept straying away, becoming bored. Maxiums was better, though nowhere near as good as he was.

Suddenly, with a laugh, one of the Chasers, Gianni Fedele, spun the Quaffle atop his finger, shouting something to his fellow Chasers. He passed the Quaffle immediately on to Robert Green, who dribbled it back and forth on his broomstick for a few moments, then passed to Debbie Muntz. Muntz played Keep-Away with the other team's Chasers, who turned out to be the back-up team from America, as well as Leigh Ann, while sliding the Quaffle down her outstretched arms and behind her head.

She threw it back to Fedele, who threw it again to Green, who scored by throwing the Quaffle in from behind the goalpost after diving off of his broomstick, before catching onto it again and grabbing the Quaffle, taking it and scoring. The substitute Keeper dove off the broom to stop it, failing to make the save.

Somehow, in all this mess, he kept finding the curvy form of his woman, of Leigh Ann, who was acting as Captain of the opposite team. Not that she was his yet, but he hoped that one day he would announce that Viktor Krum was _not_ single, and that he was in fact dating her, the trainer of the American National Quidditch Team. To his country, it would be like a betrayal.

But somewhere in the future, he could see himself loving her. The question was, could she love him in return?

He wanted to think so as she blew a whistle, and the sweat-covered team pulled up and stopped, to conjure drinks in midair. Leigh Ann, as she was still underage in America, flew down to the ground and grabbed a drink, walking over to him.

She was wearing a simple, tight, white tunic with the American flag over her left breast, and his necklace tucked underneath. Her white shorts were stretched taught across her hips, making it very tight in his own hips, with his already-tight Quidditch pants.

"Hey, stranger," she said in a breathy, worked-out sort of voice as she took a drink out of a small paper cup. He wondered if she could be any more pleasing at the moment. "You trying to steal some training techniques?"

He bent down in the chair, as he had been sitting on the bottom row which was supported by three feet of concrete, and clasped his hands between his legs to hide his obvious lust for her. "I am noot, boot my Captain ees. I joost came to vatch you."

She blushed fetchingly, making him want to run his thumbs over those high cheekbones. "I'm not so special."

"On or off broom, you are very special."

Could her skin become darker? He thought that it could, as she blushed from head to foot, making the white of her outfit turn her skin the darkest color he'd ever seen it. "Its just conditioning, as there isn't any practice tomorrow."

_Just conditioning,_ he scoffed inside his mind, replaying the few minutes of training that he had seen. Not only had she been teaching them a move that he had never seen before, but it had been good, and he was not going to say anything about it. "I see. It vas…eenteresting."

"Keep watching, maybe you'll learn something," she said with a small wink, crushing the paper cup and sliding it into his clasped hands. She then leaned up and kissed his cheek, her lips staying close by his ear. "That was a little something for your Captain."

"You heard?" he whispered back, feeling his blood run cold.

"We all heard parts of it." She then stepped back, her eyes very green with the white shirt on. "Thank you for standing up for me. But _'She's mine, Dimitrov'_?" she asked with two raised, sculpted eyebrows. Viktor felt his blood turn colder, but his face heat up almost instantly. "Remember, Viktor, sound carries well through solid objects, and your voices weren't exactly low. I may not be able to understand a lot of Bulgarian, but parts of it are pretty simple. I heard my name a few times."

"I…I apoologees, Leahn." She didn't seem angry, though, she only seemed amused. "I deed noot mean for you to hear that."

"Actually," she said softly, reaching up to touch his face gently with her fingertips, "I like the sound of it. Not the possessive, I'm only yours, part, but…the fact that you would stand up to your Captain for me." She leaned up on her tiptoes to gently kiss his forehead. "Thank you."

"_He—_no…thank you," he whispered back, wondering if she knew how much he wanted her at the moment, or how much he respected her.

"Our teammates are never going to let this down, you know that, right?" she asked with a small chuckle, a glitter in her green eyes. "Well, yours might let you off with a few snickers, all you have to do is glare at them."

"I would gladly glare at yours, foor you."

She laughed, the bell-like tone carrying across the field. "I would like that, Viktor. But just so you know, you owe me."

"Vhy?" he asked, raising one eyebrow. He remembered that she hated that he could do that.

"Because I am doing a great job of acting like I'm completely smitten with you. Your Captain aught to love this."

"Are not you?" he asked, running the back of his hand against her cheek, then his thumb against her cheekbone. "Smeeteen vith me, I mean."

She gave him a wry look, pulling his hand down and away from her face, to kiss the palm of his hand, closing his fingers over it. "I guess we'll have to watch and see what happens, won't we?" she asked, turning away from him and dancing off, calling her broomstick to her without even using her wand, picking something up off the ground at the same time.

Was it even legal to have a backside look that good?

As soon as she straddled her broomstick, she gave him a wink and pushed off into the air, zooming around the stadium once—faster than he had ever seen any broomstick perform—before blowing her whistle. "Alright, you louts, break's over. Back to work, we've got an audience."

The Americans kicked off, flying very, very fast up into the air. Leigh Ann grabbed Troy Duvall—a Beater—by the shirt, hitting him in the head with a Beater's Bat. Somehow she knew that he had been talking to Clara, and had also left his Beater's stick on the ground; that was what she had picked up.

Viktor smiled at the fact that he loved this side of her, the one that was strong and resilient, that took control. He knew that one day, that part of her would be perfect in love-making, and that she would easily take control of her partner.

Hopefully, one day in the future, that would be him.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Here's a look at the next chapter, "July Fourth: Part I:"**

Rebecca stopped talking and put her chin on her fists. "Wait. Which twin are you today?"

"I'm George," he said with a small smile, hoping that she didn't think of him as, _'Just that twin.'_ "Really, I'm actually George."

"Okay. Well, to me, you're the one who talks faster. Its much easier to talk to you with knowing who you are. And I think you have a funny freckle right…" She put her finger to a spot right between his eyes. "There."

"Oi, so do _you_!" he exclaimed, putting his finger between her eyes as well. She giggled, crossing her eyes to look at his hand.


	24. July Fourth: Part I

**I curse you, bratwurst (and/or Red Lobster,) for giving me food poisening! D: **

**Anyways, I know that this chapter is short. But it is the beginning of Four parts of amazingness. So, read on!(:**

**Dislcaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. 'Nuff said.**

* * *

**July Fourth**

**Part One**

**Depression**

It was a beautiful day. Hot, but beautiful, with white clouds and clear blue skies. Mrs. Nelson had brought out lemonade. Not Leigh's mom, Mrs. Nelson, but Leigh's dad's mom, Mrs. Nelson, who was strict but kind and was great friends with Mr. Weasley because she loved to talk about Muggle things.

"Uh-oh."

George glanced over at Rebecca, who was sitting outside with him, Ron, and their mom, and gave her a questioning look. "What's wrong?"

Mrs. Nelson—the older one—then brought out a plate of cookies, brownies, and some kind of small fudge on a platter, setting it down on the small wicker table between George and Rebecca. "I'm guessing that this is Leigh's work?"

The old woman nodded, her eyes slightly saddened, but her face strict, and then returned to the house. George turned to Rebecca, who had a worried look on her face and was looking as if she would stand up and run away at any moment.

"What's wrong with brownies?" George wanted to know, picking one up and popping it in his mouth. It melted, and was a perfect blend of chocolate and caramel in every bite.

"Leigh cooks when she's upset," Rebecca said, and her pretty strawberry brows furrowed, the freckles all over her face contorting together until it looked as if she had a tan. "More precisely, Leigh _bakes_ when she's _depressed_. Maybe I should—"

"Perhaps we should get Viktor to talk to her," Mrs. Weasley stepped in quickly, a knowing look on her face. Of course they all knew that Viktor and Leigh Ann had feelings for each other, but the two didn't, and it was so completely obvious. Well, except to Ron, who had probably messed up a very intimate moment between the two before the baseball game the day before.

"Are they dating?" Rebecca asked in that southern tone of hers from those small pink lips. George liked the way that her green eyes showed every emotion that she was feeling, and that her eyelashes were the exact same shade of strawberry as the rest of her hair. At the moment, the hair on her head was pulled down into two pigtails, tied at the end with large blue bows that hung around her chest.

Ron snorted rudely, making those strawberry brows scrunch up again. "Yeah, right. That'd be like saying that Hermione and I were dating."

_Just you wait, brother_, George thought with a smug smile, knowing that the two would eventually get together, even if he had to spike some punch with a small amount of love—_ahem, lust_—potion to get them to see that they were crazy for each other.

"Hmm. Well, its just that, I thought…with the way they were…I mean, she doesn't usually…" Rebecca huffed and crossed her arms under her small but somehow perfect chest. "He got her a _necklace._"

"It was a peace offering."

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her lemonade. "Are they _that_ oblivious?"

"Obviously," Mrs. Weasley snorted, before blushing and returning to whatever she was doing in her lap.

Was she _knitting_?

George shook his head when he realized that Rebecca had changed subject and was trying to talk to him. He cleared his throat and asked, "Sorry?"

"I was asking you, have you _really_ never seen a Disney movie?" she repeated, and the look of confusion, curiosity, and excitement in her eyes made him want to answer everything she asked.

"Nope."

"No offense Mrs. Weasley, but is he sheltered?" she asked completely serious, her face dead-pan. But then she smiled at the confused look on Molly's face. "Oh, don't worry, I'm just messing with you. It's totally alright that you haven't seen _The Lion King _or _Aladdin _or even the new _Pochahontas_. That just means that we have a bunch movies we need to watch, like, _now_. Wait. Which twin are you today?"

"I'm George," he said with a small smile, hoping that she didn't think of him as, _'Just that twin.'_ "Really, I'm actually George."

"Okay. Well, to me, you're the one who talks faster. Its much easier to talk to you with knowing who you are. George, the one who talks faster. And I think you have a funny freckle right…" She put her finger to a spot right between his eyes. "There."

"Oi, so do _you_!" he exclaimed, putting his finger between her eyes as well.

She giggled, crossing her eyes to look at his hand, and pulled her hand away. "I love your accent. Keep speaking!"

Mrs. Weasley looked to her youngest son. "Ron, go see if you can find Jason, and ask Jason if he'll get Viktor from the Quidditch pitch. I'm still not sure if I could make it all the way there without getting lost."

"But _Mum_—"

"Don't you dare, Ronald Weasley. Do as your mother says."

Ron sighed and stood up lazily, grumbling under his breath.

_**Viktor Krum**_

"Oh, Viktor, there you are."

Viktor turned around and saw that Leigh's grandmother, Caroline, worrying her darkly tanned, wrinkled hands. "_Da_—yes, Meesees Neelsoon?"

"Its not going to do any good. When she gets in these states, she won't talk to anyone, and I'm sure that's including you." Though the woman didn't look like she meant the slight insult.

"Jasoon deed noot say vhat vas wrong. Ees there a beeg probleem?" At first, when he'd seen Jason, he'd been wondering if there was to be a change in the get-together. But no, it had been worse.

Something was wrong with Leigh Ann.

He'd been practicing with the team during the American's slot—as they had no practice on the Fourth—when Jason had shown up, and his coach had almost put him on probation for jumping off of his broomstick and following after her brother, but then he reminded Dimitrov that he was supposed to keep an eye on her, and he grudgingly let him leave in the middle of practice.

Caroline nodded, her eyes worried. "Anna does this whenever she's upset. I think its because her father isn't going to be here for the Fourth."

"I vill talk to her."

"Please."

He walked past her worried form, through the living room, the dining room, and followed the smells of baking sweets until he saw her standing there. He'd never seen the kitchen before, what with all its black marble and dark-wooded glory. Stainless steel appliances, with a dark marble floor, and dark red walls.

And then there was Leigh Ann, who was standing next to one of the three large stoves.

"Leahn?" he asked softly, watching as she angrily sifted flower into a large mixing bowl. "Leahn."

She ignored him. Instead, she cracked eggs, poured milk, added cocoa and a few other ingredients that he had never seen before. She started beating the mixture, still not saying a word. She was wearing shorts, with plain white tennis shoes and a plain maroon tank top, all under a cream, lacy apron which was wrapped firmly around her waist and neck.

She then turned slightly, moving to pour the batter into a large pan. She didn't notice him. Tears had previously run down her face, as there were streaks, and she looked very determined not to let anymore fall. Her hair was up but falling in a messy bun, and the necklace around her neck was off kilter.

As soon as the batter had been placed in one of the many ovens, she then turned back to something that was rising, adding more cinnamon to the top of it, and then turning to a small bowl of another kind of batter and keeping up with it.

He moved closer, to stand behind her, and he put his hands on her arms. "Leahn, vhat ees wrong?"

She sat down her wooden spoon on the table with a loud _clang_. "Nothing."

He put his chin on her shoulder, noticing that her entire front was covered in flower, coco, and who knew what else. He also had a very wonderful view of pure peach chest, and he wanted to kiss off all of the flour. "There ees soomthing. Tell me."

"Did Jason send you?" she asked determinedly, and he saw her fists clench on the counter.

He started to rub his hands up and down her bare arms, wondering how she could be so strong. He didn't want a crying woman, but he didn't want _this_, either. "_Da_ and _he_." _Technically yes, and technically no._

"My Gamma?"

"_Da _and _he_."

"Rebecca, then."

Viktor sighed and gave her a squeeze. "Stoop it."'

"What do you want me to say, Viktor? I'm upset, so leave me alone." She tried to shrug him off, but he wouldn't allow it. "Let me go, my brownies are burning."

He did let her go for that, but crossed his arms over his chest and stood his ground as she got out baking mitts and took the brownies out of the stainless steel oven. She sat them in a windowsill next to two pies, a cake, and some strange type of muffin to cool, then tried to go back to baking.

Viktor grabbed her before she could continue. "Tell me the prooblem."

Leigh Ann pulled her arm from his grasp, walking around him to go back to her cookie batter. "There is no problem, so leave me alone. I'm baking for the party tonight."

Viktor ran a hand over his face, giving a deep sigh. _She will be the end of me yet. _"Coome here." She didn't answer as she started rolling the batter in little balls, setting them on the cookie sheet. Viktor then walked around behind her, slowly undoing the tie of her apron that was around her waist. He settled his hands there, on the smallest part of her waist, and gently massaged her back with his thumbs in small circles. "Leahn…"

"I want to be alone," she said softly, leaving her batter to rise. "Please, Viktor."

He pulled the apron from around her neck, folding it and gently setting it down beside her cookie dough. "Stoop eet."

"No, just leave me alone!" She tried to reach for the apron again.

This was when Viktor decided to go into action. He bent down, wrapped his arms around her legs, then threw her backwards. He stood up the second she gave the first annoyed scream.

Her fists pounded on his back as he walked through the kitchen, then the dining room, and then the living room, where Caroline was sitting. Though she quickly stood up when she saw them. "Viktor, what are you doing?"

"Talking to her."

"LET ME GO!" she screamed in frustration as he passed the Weasleys and Rebecca on the front porch.

"Way to go Viktor," Rebecca said, clapping, a large smile on her face.

He strode along the grounds, past gardens, past a miniature forest, until he saw the vast, clean blue lake. He'd seen it the day before when Jason had taken him on a tour of the house, and now he knew _exactly _what it was used for_._ He walked along the pier, past one strange-looking boat, until he was at the end.

And then he threw her in the water.

She surfaced with a gasp. "V-VIKTOR!" she sputtered furiously, her thick, long hair matted down all around her. "DAMN IT!"

He crouched down low, watching her temper flare, her low-spirits forgotten. "I toold you to stoop."

Suddenly she reached up, wrapped her hand in his shirt collar and pulled, making him lose balance. He felt himself fall right over her, into the cool though refreshing water.

Viktor felt a slight annoyance as he surfaced, though the smug look on Leigh's face made him want to dunk her. So, he did, laughing when she sputtered again and came back up.

"Why you—" she growled, wrapping her arms around his neck and attempting to drown him, but she only put herself back into his arms, which made it easy for him to dunk her yet again. Her soft breasts against his chest sent his hormones raging, her body wrapped in all of that wet clothing making him want to take it all off.

She stopped trying to dunk him and instead tried to get her breath back, leaning her head against his shoulder as he held her. She punched him in the shoulder lightly. "Payback is _such _a bitch, Viktor."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her wet forehead. "I knoo. Boot you feel better, yes?"

She laughed and snuggled into his wet t-shirt. "Yeah, I guess I do." Her soft, hazel-green eyes met his, and he saw a small crinkle in each corner. He'd never noticed it before, but there was a small dimple in her right cheek as well. "Thank you, Viktor." He longed to reach down and kiss it, so he did, and she looked surprised. "Viktor?"

"Yes?"

"I-I think we should g-get out of the water now."

* * *

**And the sexual tension gets worse...(; Here's an excerpt from the next chapter, which hopefull I'll have a Beta Reader for soon. I'm talking to someone who loves my story and would love to give me a few pointers, which I'm glad to hear! We shall see.(:**

**Anyways, a look at "July Fourth: Part II:"**

Leigh Ann blushed proudly, gently touching the small oval. "I don't want compliments, Viktor. I want to know that no one thinks that you're using me, or that I'm using you. What does your team think of us?"

"They think that I am using you," he said softly, giving her temple a small peck, "and that you are using me." He couldn't stop his lips as they gently moved down her jaw, and he wondered if her skin had always been so soft. "That ve are using each oother…

She jokingly pushed him away, but not before a slight flash of light blinded them both. Leigh Ann started coughing from a small amount of smoke, and he couldn't see.

"Oh, well, how cute," came a very familiar, very nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. "That'll be a good one for the paper, won't it, Lieutenant?"

Viktor could almost feel Leigh Ann's body heat up in embarrassment as Rita Skeeter walked up to them, her handy-dandy camera man behind her like an obedient pup. "Vhat are you doing here, Vita?" he asked, wrapping Leigh Ann up in the towel and standing in front as if to protect her.


	25. July Fourth: Part II

**Well, this chapter isn't that long either, but you'll all love it! Love it, like...a lot.(: So read on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the song mentioned. "_I can love you like that, I can make you my world..."_ Oh, don't sue me, its a 1995 song, and it fit the moment!**

* * *

**July Fourth**

**Part Two**

**The Tale Weaver, the Amber Necklace, and the English Reporter**

The day felt wonderful. Not just because it was sunny, and the charm around Viktor kept him cool, or the fact that the clouds were wispy and soft, or that every color was bright and vivid. No, it was the fact that Leigh Ann's hand was in his, and the beautiful sun dress that covered her body made him very, very happy indeed.

It was five o'clock in the afternoon, and the large park that they were having the Fourth of July Celebration in was already starting to get full. His stomach growled as the smells of cooking meat came to his nose, mixed in with the fresh smell of the clean, cozy park.

Small children were running around, chasing each other, waving small American flags as they tromped through the park. Swing sets in the playground were full to capacity, and so were all of the slides, jungle gyms, and monkey bars.

One small child, with big blue eyes, dimples, and long blonde hair, ran up and tugged on Leigh's skirt with a large smile on her face. "Leigh Ann, Leigh Ann! Look!"

Leigh Ann's eyes softened, and she bent down and picked the girl up, putting her on her hip. Viktor was slightly disappointed to see that her hand left his, but his heart was touched by the way she looked at the little girl. "Oh, it looks like you lost your first tooth! Did the Tooth Fairy give you money?"

"Yup! I gotta dollar!"

"Well isn't that something?" she asked, looking over to Viktor and giving him a wink. "I only got twenty-five cents for my first tooth. Where's your mother at, Caitlyn?"

"Mommy's cooking. I should go help her." The little girl started squirming, wanting to get down. Leigh Ann let her go, and the girl ran off, laughing in happiness.

"Isn't she the cutest thing?" Leigh Ann asked, intertwining her fingers in his once more before she started pulling him along again.

"Booteefool eyes," he said, watching all of the happy children around them. Slowly, a small image formed in his mind—a small boy or girl, with olive skin, thick, black hair, and familiar hazel eyes that shined in laughter.

Leigh Ann sighed, almost as if she had been picturing the same child. "Yeah."

Her white sundress was beautiful in the sunlight, making her eyes very green, almost like yesterday. It was tight around her breasts, tying around the back of her tanned neck and flowing out around her hips and knees. Something else was underneath her dress, but it had thinner straps, and was black, and yet it still wrapped around her neck. She had left her hair down around her hips, though it was slightly curly, which he wasn't used to seeing. All he knew was that she looked beautiful.

He also knew that he had to ask her a question about the conversation she and the child had just had, but he would wait until that look in her eyes went away. "Vhat ees a _tooth fairy_?"

"Hmm? Oh. Well, it actually was a fairy that went around stealing children's teeth when they fell out. But Muggles made up a story after she died, saying that if you put your lost tooth under your pillow at night, then the Tooth Fairy would take it and leave money."

_Ha, what a meaningless story to sooth children. _"So, it ees a lie."

"No!" she said quickly, stopping in her white flip-flop tracks. "It's something to make children believe. Weren't there any fairytales that you believed in when you were a child?"

"There vere a few, ven I vas a child."

She pulled him to a halt in front of a small wooden platform, where a soft but medium-beat tune was playing from a four-person band. "Tell me," she said with a small smile, grasping his other hand.

Viktor then, on an impulse, wrapped his arm around her waist, holding the other up so that he could dance with her. "You vould like to hear a fairy-tale, _da_."

"Yes," she said, her eyes wide.

He started spinning them slowly, not even on beat to the music, but on beat to the fairy tale. "There are many stories about the zmey, or dragon, a coomplex being, coombining eeleements from Thracian, Slavic and Proto Bulgarian mythologies. Eet ees sometimes portrayed as a bad character, but often eet ees seen as kind and has an eempoortant place in Bulgarian myth and folklore. Eet has elemental power and ees coonected vith fertility and sexuality."

"Hmm, really?" she asked as he started to pull them closer, looking at him as if she had never seen anything like him before. "I think I'm starting to like this story."

He smiled at her, holding her close to him. "Each village had eets own guardian zmey to protect the harvest and battle vith the eeveel forces that cause drought and hail. The violence of these battles gave rise to thunderstorms and lightening, coonecting the zmey to the Slavic thoonder god, Perun, and to his Christian successor, St. Ilya.

"Part snake, part bird, part human, zmeys are associated vith both fire and vater. They live in caves, lakes or mountain castools and glow as they fly. They can summon vhirlvinds or become invisible at vill. They are immensely strong, and a human who eats a dragon's heart gains some of that power.

"They are shape shifters and can take on an alluring human form but they can also change into dogs, flower garlands, or even necklaces. Zmeys are predominantly male, but the rare zmeyitsas, the females of the species, can shape shift into bears. Oon the oother hand, humans can become dragons, either through magical means or by taking certain herbs.

"Zmeys ooften fall een love vith humans, who then may grow pale and lovesick. They may ache away, for dragon love can be deadly. The only cure is to take a potion made with herbs such as gentian, tansy and vormvood to repulse the dragon. Zmeys are attracted by music, and have been known to seduce maidens with the beauty of their kaval-playing."

"What's a kaval?"

"A woodeen floot."

"Ah. Do you know how to play?"

He nodded, gently squeezing her waist tenderly. "I vill play for you soomteem. Boot, as I vas saying, sometimes they will trick a vain or arrogant maiden and carry her off."

"You aren't saying that I'm vain or arrogant, are you?" she asked, a twinkle of seduction in her eyes. She was only five inches below him, but she still looked into his eyes and made the point that she was there. "Because you could just be a zmey, who is in the alluring form of a human. Or maybe this is a zmey on my neck?" She touched the small amber necklace, giving him a look that he couldn't place.

"_He—_no. Olf course you are noot vain, noor arrogant," he said, lifting one hand from her waist to push her hair behind her ear. "And eet could be a zmey, you may neever knoo. Boot I vas noot feeneeshed."

She nodded her head, a slight amount of blush on her cheeks. "Continue, then. I'm entranced."

"Marreeg to a zmey can be a symbol for death. But soometimes humans marry a zmey and give birth to offspring, who look human in every vay except for tiny vings groving under their arms. Twelve maidens are then called in under oath of silence and secrecy to veave a shirt for the child to hide its vings. The dragon child can then safely enter the human world, and no-vone vill ever see his or her true nature except for the pure in heart."

He lifted his hand to put his palm over her heart, wrapping his fingers over her delicate, bare shoulder.

"Zmeys should noot be confused with their evil relatives, the lamia and the hala. These reptilian beasts ooften half three heads and half a different origin to the zmey. In particular, lamias and halas are alvays female vhereas zmeys are moostly male. Also they are related vith drought and hail respectively, threatening the fertility of the land. As such, they are enemies of the zmey."

"Hmm…you weave a wonderful tale, Viktor," she said, her eyes having fogged over and a small smile having formed on her face. "So women are threatening?"

"Oonly the lamias and halas. And soometimes, you."

"Why me?" she asked softly, taking her hand from his and wrapping both around his neck, their bodies already as close as possible. "And why can't _you_ be a zmey?"

"Because, vomen who attract me are dangerous," he said softly, in almost a growl as he wrapped both arms around her tightly. "And I cannoot be a zmey, elsvise you vould be pale and vant foor me."

She smiled softly, leaning her head on his chest as they danced slowly to a song that was many past the one they had first started dancing to, not saying anything. Obviously, she hadn't gotten the fact that he was attracted to her, else wise she would have blushed clear to her feet. This song was slow, with pretty lyrics and a soothing rhythm. Or maybe it was her soft body against his that was soothing, as he held her close. _"I can love you like that, I could make you my world, move heaven and earth, if you were my girl. I will give you my heart, be all that you need, show you you're everything that's special to me, if you give me the chance...I could love you like that."_

He felt that this song described his infatuation towards Leigh Ann. He _could_ eventually love her. And he _would_ do anything for her. Soon, though, the song was over, and the lead singer apologized that that had been the last song. Leigh Ann pulled away, clapping, and Viktor joined in, though he was upset that her body was gone.

"Come on, big boy," she said, smiling radiantly and taking his hand, "we've got lots to do today before it gets dark. You've got to drink a slushy, eat an elephant ear, and swim at the beach."

"Vhat ees an eeleephoont ear?" he wanted to know, wondering if it would be anything like what he was thinking, or more like the hot dog which hadn't been so bad.

"Don't worry, it's just flower, sugar, and cinnamon, all fried and delicious. If you want to know why I can never loose weight, its because of them."

He gently wrapped one arm around her waist, slowing her rampaging of words and walking. "You need to noot loose veight."

"Well, a little, if I want to keep going to the Academy," she said off-handedly, as if she didn't care. "I'm a little bit more than I was during the school year. I've got to be careful." She giggled to herself. "If I don't watch it, I won't fit into my uniform!"

Viktor was starting to get agitated. "Leahn, leesteen to me—"

"Oooh, look, it's a dunk tank! Come on, lets go!"

"Leahn—!" He pulled her to a stop, twirling her around to face him once more. The children, the couples, and the people were no longer on his mind as he stared into those green eyes, with the soft lining of black eyeliner and the slight bit of mascara outlining her beautiful eyes, and a small amount of maroon shadow above, and a small amount of tan lip-coloring on those plump lips. "Stoop."

"Stop what?" she asked, her eyes alive with excitement. She tried to pull him along again, but he stopped her.

"Stoop saying that you need to loose veight."

Her smile faltered for only a moment before it came right back on, full-force. "Oh, it's just something that I say every so often, you know that I don't really think I need to."

He placed his hands on her flaring hips, using his thumbs to massage her protruding hipbones. "Curves, you half."

Leigh Ann's face instantly filled with color, and she placed her hands gently on his forearms, trying to move his hands away. "V-Viktor, I know I do, but I was just saying—"

"No boots," he said softly, hoping not to scare her away as he explained to her that he liked her the way she was. "Meat on bones ees good."

"Not this much," she insisted, her face incredulous.

Viktor squeezed her hips, her waist, and nodded. "You are perfect, the vay you are."

"B-b-b…" She quickly looked away, her entire face beet red. "W-we need to move out of the middle of the w-walkway. People are staring." Somehow, with a rush of adrenaline, she grabbed his arms and started pulling him along. "I'm so excited that you and your team will get to see the fireworks tonight. I hope that our conversation yesterday really convinced them that you're…" She gave him a wink. "Getting under my skin."

"They are vatching now, I am sure," he said, itching still to finish their conversation. "Ve moost be careful."

"Why do we have to be careful?" she asked, pulling him into the line for what looked like a "slushy." "The necklace, it keeps them away from me, right?"

Viktor wondered how much of last night she had heard and understood. "It…ah, eet means something to Bulgaria, to my village."

"Ah. I see." She gently picked it up with her thin fingers, trying to look at it, but the chain wasn't long enough. "So…amber…is it the stone of your family?" she asked softly, her eyes only meeting his for a second before those mile-long eyelashes batted and looked away.

"…Yes," he said slowly, trying to make her look at him. "Leahn, I—"

"That's so sweet," she said softly, a light blush appearing on those high cheekbones. Sometime that day, he'd wondered why she hadn't worn blush with the rest of her subtle makeup, and now he knew why.

Not that he liked makeup on everyone, but when she did it, it was tasteful and not overdone. He enjoyed her the most whenever she had just woken up, or was just about to go to bed, when she wasn't wearing any. But sometimes, like now, he did enjoy a slight amount of makeup.

"You're worried about me, right?" she asked, absent-mindedly putting money on the counter of the small stand and not even paying attention as the man made two strawberry "slushies." "So this is your way of making sure that no one else messes with me."

"You…are noot…angry," he said softly, hesitantly, as if any moment she would explode in her feminist anger. He'd expected it ten-fold the second she figured it out, but it had just made him feel safer knowing that his stone was around her neck.

If she was taking this well, then perhaps he would be able to tell her that it was infused with a small ward as well, protecting her from small curses and jinxes.

"Of course I'm not angry," she scoffed, snatching up the two slushies and shoving one of them towards him. He barely grasped it before it fell, and almost couldn't keep up with her as she stared walking off again.

"You are upset?" he asked, trying to juggle the slushy and figure out how to drink it, when he saw her take a sip out of the straw from the top. He tried it, to find out that it wasn't so bad. _Maybe I should not tell her about the ward._

"You've pretty much branded me as yours, you protective bastard," she scoffed, not even looking back at him as she wove expertly through the crowds, almost gracefully. He, on the other hand, had to apologize profusely to the many people he bumped into. "Again, I've been lost in your whirlwind of kindness. First off, not knowing who you were and trying to guess your name. Second, the necklace, which is seemingly innocent and yet not, maybe to soften me up, but instead to mark me as owned."

"I do noot ovn you," he growled, grasping her arm and turning her around. She stared defiantly up at him, as if telling him to explain, or else. "I just vanted…Levski, the vay he vas looking at you…and the men at the peetch—"

She lifted his slushy to his lips, forcing him to take a drink. "Shut up. I'm peeved, and when I'm peeved, it takes me a few minutes to calm down. No one owns me, and I am my own woman. Get it? Got it?" She didn't even let him answer before she nodded and said, "Good." Leigh Ann then grabbed his arm and pulled him along, towards a large white box that people were standing around. "Now come on."

"Vhat are you going to do?" he asked worriedly, noticing that she didn't move to take off his necklace at all, instead giving him smug looks as she stopped in front of a very large white box. A man was calling out words fast, and he couldn't understand them.

"This man would love to participate!" Leigh Ann called, holding his arm up for him. "And I'd like the first throw."

"Excellent!" the man exclaimed, grabbing Viktor's arm and pulling him up to the white box. Viktor was walked up steps and sat on a small stool over what appeared to be… _Water?_ "Here, Leigh Anna, three throws." _Throws?_ "Aim…"

"For your sake, Viktor," she said with a tiny smile on her face, throwing a small red ball up and down with one hand, "you'd better hope I'm a horrible throw."

Viktor was very confused as he watched Leigh Ann throw the first ball, which missed a small…target. "Leahn, I do noot oonderstand."

"You will in a second," she said, throwing the second one, which hit the target, but nothing happened except that his seat bobbed slightly. "Damn. Alright, here goes nothing!"

Finally, she threw the last ball, which hit directly in the center of the target, which then made his seat fall straight into the cool water of what he believed was probably the "dunk tank."

As soon as he resurfaced, soaked and sputtering, he felt two slim, familiar hands on either side of his face, water being pushed from his short hair and laughter coming from the woman in front of him. He opened his eyes to see that the beautiful, devious woman who had just dunked him was laughing so hard that she was tearing up. "I'm sorry, Viktor, I had to!" she exclaimed happily, settling a kiss on one of his cheekbones. "Now, I feel better. I _told_ you that payback was a bitch."

_I'm glad _you _feel better,_ Viktor thought as she pulled him out of the water tank and wrapped a fluffy towel around his shoulders. She giggled as she paid the man who'd given her the balls, who then ruffled her hair before she walked back over to Viktor. "I am soory."

Leigh Ann pulled his arm over her shoulder, snuggling up against his wet t-shirted side. "Nah, its fine. I overreacted."

Well, that was something new. He looked down onto her sun-kissed cheek to see that she was smiling. "You doonked me, for oolfer-reoocting?" He wasn't angry, but he was just wondering…what happened when she overreacted far, far worse?

She glanced up at him, and he knew that he'd forgiven her the second she'd kissed him on the cheek. "Yes and no. Part of it was payback for this morning. The other part… Well, you deserved it. _No man_ marks me. Not even with a beautiful necklace."

"You are even more beautiful," he whispered, squeezing her side.

Leigh Ann blushed proudly, gently touching the small oval. "I don't want compliments, Viktor. I want to know that no one thinks that you're using me, or that I'm using you. What does your team think of us?"

"They think that I am using you," he said softly, giving her temple a small peck, "and that you are using me." He couldn't stop his lips as they gently moved down her jaw, and he wondered if her skin had always been so soft. "That ve are using each oother…

She jokingly pushed him away, but not before a slight flash of light blinded them both. Leigh Ann started coughing from a small amount of smoke, and he couldn't see.

"Oh, well, how cute," came a very familiar, very nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. "That'll be a good one for the paper, won't it, Lieutenant?"

Viktor could almost feel Leigh Ann's body heat up in embarrassment as Rita Skeeter walked up to them, her handy-dandy camera man behind her like an obedient pup. "Vhat are you doing here, Vita?" he asked, wrapping Leigh Ann up in the towel and standing in front of her.

"The last I checked, Mr. Krum," she said, gently poking him in the chest with one long red fingernail, "America is a free country. Freedom of the press, and all."

Leigh Ann picked the towel up off of her shoulders, throwing it over Viktor's instead. Her face was slightly betrayed. "Rita, I thought that my aunt got rid of you."

"I'm glad to see that you took my advise to leave your hair down, sweetheart," she said cheekily, patting Leigh Ann's head with one heavy hand. "It does wonders for your square jaw, and those plump little cheeks that I just want to _pinch_!"

His woman slapped the reporter's hand away before she could even try it. "Hermione and I know your secret, Rita. My mother works for the American Ministry, don't make me—"

"Oh, I know all about your mother, Leigh Ann," the woman scoffed, flipping her much-too-done-up hair. "And I'm sorry to say that I do."

Viktor put a hand on the soon-to-be-enraged Leigh Ann's shoulder. "Vhat do you vant, Mees Skeeter? It is the Foorth olf July, and thees ees a speceel time."

The woman pursed her lips, snapping her fingers to bring her camera man forwards. The man handed her the negative, and then Rita handed it to Leigh Ann. "I'm not supposed to write anything for a year, you know that. I almost forgot when I saw you two together. You might want to be careful while you're out and about…even your aunt needs a scoop every now and then."

Leigh Ann put the negatives gently into her top, and Viktor couldn't help but watch as it slid down. "Come on, Viktor," she growled, tugging on his wet shirt, "we've got places we need to be."

"Remember my warnings, Miss Nelson," Rita called back, her giggling as fake as the makeup on her face. "Your aunt isn't who she seems to be!"

"Ignore her, Leahn," he said softly, holding her hand in his. "Ve need eleephoont ears, _da_?"

She put on a small smile, but he knew that it was forced. "Yeah...we do."

* * *

**UGH. You gotta love Rita, but you want to tear her hair from her head at the same time! Here's a look at Part III!**

He took her hands in his, gently running his fingers over the small bracelet on her wrist and the rings, both on her ring fingers. "Vhat is vong?"

She sighed, pulling her hands from his. "_You_. You don't get it, do you?"

"Get vhat?"

"Get the fact that I…that I like you, Viktor."

Viktor Krum, famous Seeker of the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team and Champion of Durmstrang, felt his ego inflating at a rather enlarged rate. He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. "I thoot that ve already half said thees?" he asked as he cupped her heart-shaped face, pulling her up so that she could see the smile on his face. "I leek you too, Leahn."

She pushed his hand away again, and a look of sadness was in her eyes. "I…I want to know where we stand, Viktor. People have been talking, and—"

"And they are saying that ve are together, _da_?" he asked softly, his heart beating faster with each passing moment. _We're together… _

"Are we?"


	26. July Fourth: Part III

**This is the Chapter where you all scream, "FINALLYYYYYY!" And I hope that you like that I made it so long, because originally, it was split!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I wouldn't have had to apply at McDonalds for a job. And I acutaly might have been called back after my interview had I owned Harry Potter. But I don't.**

* * *

**July Fourth**

**Part Three**

**Firework Romance**

Viktor pulled Leigh Ann gently to the side a little while later, as her moods had lowered even further. He finally got tired of it, wondering if he would ever get used to her changing hormones and moods.

The elephant ear had been delicious, though he knew that his coach would kill him if he ate too much today, the day before the game. Later, Leigh Ann was going to introduce him to one of her best friends, who lived far away, but went to the Academy with her. And then they were all going to go swimming.

_Ah…I cannot wait to see her in that swimsuit again_, he thought, remembering the one she had worn for the second competition, and wondering if this was the same one or one that showed even more of her.

"Do I half to doonk you again?" he joked, sitting her down on a small park bench as they watched the small children running around. She was frowning now, playing with her hands.

A small smile was placed on her face, though it was fake, and she shook her head. "No. Believe me, I'm fine."

He took her hands in his, gently running his fingers over the small bracelet on her wrist and the rings, both on her ring fingers. "No, you are noot. Vhat is vong?"

She sighed, pulling her hands from his. "_You_. You don't get it, do you?"

"Get vhat?"

"Get the fact that I…that I like you, Viktor."

Viktor Krum, famous Seeker of the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team and Champion of Durmstrang, felt his ego inflating at a rather enlarged rate. He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. "I thoot that ve already half said thees?" he asked as he cupped her heart-shaped face, pulling her up so that she could see the smile on his face. "I leek you too, Leahn."

She pushed his hand away again, and a look of sadness was in her eyes. "I…I want to know where we stand, Viktor. People have been talking, and—"

"And they are saying that ve are together, _da_?" he asked softly, his heart beating faster with each passing moment. _We're together… _

"Are we?" she asked softly, looking down at the jewelry on her hands, then touching the small necklace around her throat. "I mean…you've given me jewelry, and you hold my hand…and…you don't care about touching in public, obviously, I mean—"

"I give you jewel, because you vere sad," he said, pinching her chin between two fingers, so that she would look at him. Her green eyes shone brightly with the six o'clock sun shining down on them. "I vould geev you jewel every day eef sadness vould leaf forever. I do noot leek to see you sad. And hoolding your hand…eet ees pleasoorable."

She tried to put up another fake smile, but it ended up falling and she looked very vulnerable; he did not like this on his strong woman, and he wanted to pull her in his arms. "Viktor," she said softly, touching her fingertips to the hand that was holding her attention, "are we a couple?"

"Vhat?" he asked, wondering if he had heard her right. _I hope so._

Her entire face went completely red, and she instantly jumped up and moved to leave. "I-I'm sorry, it was just a question and—"

"Vait, Leahn." He grabbed her hands and sat her back down, waiting until she looked into his eyes before he said anything else. "Do you vant to be a coople?" he asked just as quietly, releasing her chin and caressing her cheek instead. His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute, as if her answer would be the only thing that would keep his heart beating or stop it completely.

"I asked first," she said softly, smiling, and this time it was genuine.

"And I am going to kees you," he said back to her, knowing that for Leigh Ann, that was a yes, and that was about all he was going to get. He leaned forwards, wanting to know how soft her lips were, if they were as soft as her skin or smoother.

But before his lips hit hers, what felt like her finger was stopping him from moving closer. She gently pushed him back, and he opened his eyes to see that her entire face was lit up and she was smiling like her own personal sun. "Nuh-uh. I don't give kisses on the first date."

"Vhat about Cormac?" he asked in all seriousness, wriggling his eyebrows as he grasped her hand, placing a chaste kiss against her fingertip.

She playfully slapped his shoulder. "He tricked me, trapping me under the mistletoe! He's lucky he walked away with everything intact, too!"

"Then vhat do Amereecan cooples do een poobleec on a first date, eef they are a coople?" he asked softly, reaching up and twirling a piece of hair around one of his fingers. He wanted to run his fingers all the way through her hair, but knew that she would get embarrassed and would want to leave.

_I must take it slowly with her._

"Well," she said, blushing and batting her eyelashes, "we hold hands, sometimes."

"Hmm…I do leek holding hands," he said as he grasped her hand and intertwined their fingers. "Boot ve half alvays held hands. Vhat eelse?"

"Sometimes…a girl will give her boy a token, to wear, or to keep."

Viktor knew what kind of token he wanted, but knew that he wouldn't get it. "_Da_?" he asked, as she reached down to her wrist to unwrap the small gold bracelet on her arm, undoing it until it was a longer, thicker chain that seemed manlier. Viktor knew that she had used a silent spell, but she was in the vicinity of him, and therefore the magic could not be traced directly to her.

Besides, it had barely looked like magic.

She then undid the clasp, pulling the small ring off of her right finger and sliding it onto the necklace. He noticed that the stone was ruby, and that her mother and her grandmother had worn plenty of ruby jewelry too. It was very small, to fit her thin fingers, and was thin in comparison to rings that he would wear as well. It had small designs of American flags that looked as if they moved when glanced at a second time.

Leigh Ann put the necklace around his neck, picking up his shirt collar and dropping the cool gold ring under his shirt. "That," she said, putting her hand over the small bump under his shirt, "is my Army class ring. Usually, a man would give a woman his class ring, but seeing as how you gave me your family stone, I figured that I would give you this."

"And now, you half marked me," he said with a small laugh, loving the way she blushed when he said anything about "them." Suddenly he noticed a gleam on her left hand, and he wondered, did she have two class rings? "And vhat ees thees?" he asked, picking up her left hand and running his thumb over the small silver ring there, on her ring finger, as if she were married.

She blushed been red, pulling her hand from his quickly. "I-it's my promise ring."

"To?"

She was silent for a moment, and Viktor wondered if he had said something wrong. He was about to ask when she finally spoke up. "…To God."

"You half proomeesed God yourself?" Viktor asked, suddenly feeling very sentimental about this woman in front of him—this _untouched_ woman, who was so appealing at the moment that he could have wept.

Leigh Ann nodded nervously, fidgeting with the bare finger on her right hand. "I…yeah. Until I really, _truly_ love somebody. Is there a problem?" she asked, as if putting up a defensive shield would keep him from making her feel bad about herself.

He picked her left hand up, putting his lips to the small ring. "Olf course noot." _Not when you are mine and only mine._

"Great, because I'm not taking it off, ever," she said, leaning forwards and gently kissing him on the cheek. Viktor gently put his hand on the side of her face, touching his lips gently to her temple, the soft, soft skin of her jaw, chin, and neck. He wondered, if he tried to kiss her now, after having wanted to since he first met her, would she let him?

Her skin was _so_, so soft as he parted his lips against her neck, loving the salty and sugary taste of her skin. He wondered where exactly her "spot" was, the one that made every woman buckle from pleasure. Was it where her pulse was? Or was it right beneath her ear, the hollow that he could nibble on?

"Look, it is _el grande, _the one and onlyViktor Krum," came a sarcastic cry, and Leigh Ann pulled away with a huff, a bright red blush staining her cheeks. Viktor crossed his legs quickly, to get half of the thoughts out of his head. It didn't work.

Viktor looked up, to see a tall, very thin but very curvy woman with long, thick black hair standing in front of them, clad in what looked to be only what Viktor had come to known as a "bikini top" and very short, tight pants. Her legs were long and peachy cream, her stomach the same color and very taught, perfectly worked out. The blue of her pants and the red of her bikini looked strange, but she was getting many appreciative looks in her direction.

"Nice to see you too, Alex," Leigh Ann grunted, not meeting Viktor's eyes. "Glad to see that you've gotten your Spanish vibrance back."

"I take eet that there are noot many vizards een thees town?" Viktor asked with a small laugh, gently putting his arm around her shoulder and giving her a small squeeze. He knew that Leigh Ann would think that he was attracted to this woman, Alex, if he kept looking at her for too long. No, he was _not_ attracted to her, because the only woman in his sights was Leigh Ann.

Alex was very beautiful, but Leigh Ann was his curvy woman, his smart woman.

_His_ woman.

"Nope, just my family and one other Muggle-born wizard," she said, standing up and smoothing down her dress. "It's a big deal when there's a home Quidditch match, as many wizards come to this town and the small wizarding community where the pitch is. Viktor, meet my friend Alex from the Academy, who has _always_ had very bad timing. Alex, put on a shirt and shake hands with my boy—err…"

"Boyfriend," Viktor said softly, leaning down to gently kiss her on the forehead.

"_Boyfriend_?" Alex asked, her red lips parting to show almost perfectly white teeth. "Anna, why the hell didn't you write me sooner about this?"

"Eet joost happened," Viktor said, holding out a hand to his Leigh Ann's best friend. He had to make a good impression. "Heelloo, Aleex. Eet ees neece to meet you."

"I don't play Quidditch, or even watch it, but I know a Seeker when I see one," she said, giving him a very dainty handshake, compared to Leigh, who always gave her all in a handshake. "You treat _mi Ana _right, _comprende_?"

"Ana" leaned over and whispred to him what she said, only in English. "I vould do noothing leess," he said, nodding.

"And _Ana_, tomorrow, don't go easy on him just because he's your _amour, sí_?"

"Tomorrow?" Viktor asked, loving the fact that his woman had another woman with whom she could say anything. "Eet ees the Quidditch match."

Alex smirked, wrapping an arm around Leigh Ann's shoulders. "Did she not tell you? She's refereeing. Aren't you, Anna?"

Leigh Ann smiled, but was blushing deeply. "Sorry I didn't tell you, Viktor, but we're not _supposed_ to tell _any_ Quidditch player, thank you very much Alex!"

"Well where are these hunky Quidditch players, I want to meet some," she said excitedly, her eyes instantly scoping the park. "Is the rest of the Bulgarian Team coming to the party tonight, or what?"

"Control your hormones, Alexandra. And yes, they are, right, Viktor?" Leigh Ann asked, winking at him suggestively. "Just stay away from Levski. He'll just look at your chest all night."

"Maybe that's what I want," Alex said snootily, looking down her nose at her best friend. "A guy who doesn't want to get to know me, take my heart, and then break it and leave. A one-night, 'hey, I like you' thing. _Sí_, that is exactly what I want!" Suddenly she looked left, right, and then back at Viktor. "So, are we going to swim or what?"

"Or what," Leigh Ann scoffed, blushing deeply. "I-I'm not ready to swim yet."

"But you said that you got that new swimsuit, and I want to see it!" Alex whined, her eyes wide and beseeching. "_¿Por favor, mi amiga?_"

Viktor playfully wrapped his arm around Leigh Ann's waist. "_Da_, Leahn, I vant to see eet as vell."

She blushed to her toes, glaring daggers at her best friend. "Fine, _Alex_, lets go change." She grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her away, towards the restrooms. "We'll be right back, Viktor. Don't leave this spot!"

Viktor watched as Leigh Ann chastised her best friend on the way to the restroom. He couldn't help but laugh until finally they did make it to the restroom and were out of his sight.

He sighed and sat down on the bench, wondering what kind of friends Leigh Ann usually hung around with. And, while thinking that, he hadn't heard a very familiar voice calling his name.

"_Viktor, did you not hear your own best friend?_"

Suddenly, the very familiar face of Ivann Borski, his very best friend and cohort in crime, was hugging him, and Viktor couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. "_Ivann, what are you doing here?_"

"_Well, when your letters started becoming love sonnets, I figured that I should possibly come over._ _I am getting worried about you, old friend! I needed to come over and make sure that this girl did not take you over completely._"

"_Hmm…_" Viktor mumbled, barely paying attention to his friend. He only kept picturing her, with her smile, and her eyes, and…

"…_and I was thinking that there should be a belly-dancing station, as well as a tub full of pudding, and—_"

"_What?_" Viktor asked, turning slightly to look at his friend.

"_Man, you are whipped._"

"_I am not!_"

Ivann only shook his head, turning his view to gaze at the many people who were wandering around the park. Suddenly, someone came out of the restroom and Ivann spoke up. "_Is that her, in the red?_"

Viktor shook his head, already knowing that it was Alex who was in the red bikini. "_No, that is her friend, _Aleex."

"_Then that's her, in the blue?_"

No, that wasn't her either. She must have still been changing. "_You have already met her, Ivann. She was a Champion in the Tournament._"

Viktor's good friend rolled his hazel eyes, wrapping an arm around his buddy's shoulders. "_Viktor, you know that I was drunk for most of that, right?_" When Viktor gave him a look, he quickly said, "_Alright, alright, lets see…brunette, right?_"

"_The most beautiful, long brown hair you've ever seen._"

"_Tan?_"

"_All over._"

Ivann stopped, making his friend stop in place. "All_ over_?" he asked, emphasizing the 'all.' Of course there was that look that asked if he'd bedded her yet, but Viktor merely punched his friend in the stomach a little harder than necessary.

"_I'm not exactly sure. But from what I have seen so far, yes._"

"_Third base?_"

"_Not even first._"

"_And you've known her for _how_ long? I think you are losing your touch, Viktor. Usually you have a tongue down your throat before the hour is up._ _I remember one girl, she was the most gorgeous thing I had ever laid eyes on! And then you were—_"

"_She is different_," Viktor snapped, not even being able to picture the woman who Ivann was describing. "_I…I can see myself with this woman for a long time._"

Ivann was speechless for a moment, and Viktor had to forcefully close his mouth. "_But…you are _Viktor Krum!_ You do not have to settle down with just one woman, you can have many! If I remember right, this woman was a little on the larger side. She—_"

Viktor held his arm out, clothes lining his friend and knocking him to the ground. He put his foot in the middle of Ivann's chest, crossing his arms over his chest menacingly until his vision returned to normal. "_She is perfect. Do not say anything about her, unless it is to tell her how beautiful she is, do you understand?_"

Ivann's eyes were wide with confusion, until suddenly he got a giant grin on his face. Ignoring the strange looks from the people around him, Ivann put his hand up and let Viktor help him up. "_You…are serious about this woman?_"

Viktor nodded, turning his angry face away from his friend so that he could calm down. "_She might be the one. I am not sure yet._"

"_She plays Quidditch and everything? That is not all she likes you for?_"

"_No, she hates me for it. But she does like Quidditch. Her mother is Rene Reynolds, famous Quidditch player. Leigh Ann likes that I am clumsy on my feet, that I am gentle with her little sister. She likes the inside me._"

Ivann was smirking now. "_Does she like your rugged good looks?_"

"_If the way she looks at me has any hint, I think so._"

His friend laughed and pounded him on the back. "_I cannot wait to meet her._ _If she is anything you say she is, then I'm sure_—"

"Viktor, there you are!" came her sinfully beautiful voice.

"_Speak of the devil_," Ivann said, chuckling under his breath.

He turned his head to the side, eager to see his woman wearing a bathing suit, just so he could ease his own sinful curiosities. He wanted to know every curve of her body, to see how every muscle moved. He knew that he would soon, when he started mapping out her body, but for now, this was all he could get.

"_Wow. I was wrong. Curvy is nice._"

_Its perfect,_ he thought, turning around and looking for her, at the same time hitting his friend on the back harder than necessary. "_And it is mine_," he reminded his friend. Viktor's breath left his body the second he saw Leigh Ann standing next to the smaller Alex, but there were no other women in the world besides her at that point.

Her long, tanned legs peeked out from a small scrap of black cloth, tied in perfect little bows on either side of her flared hips. Her waist cut in dramatically from her breasts and hips, as tanned as the rest of her, with the cutest looking bellybutton he'd ever seen. The small white scar to the above right didn't mar her at all.

And her _breasts_… They were covered by a small strip of black, tight around her body, with two little ties coming up and around her neck to tie in a perfect bow behind it. He'd never thought that he was a breast man, but looking at her now, with that full cleavage and the large, roundness, the fact that she had more than a handful, or that he wanted to lean down and kiss each perky, round breast…

Oh, yes. He was a breast man.

Her long, thin arms were more muscled than he would have thought, and the fact that her shoulders were more delicate than anything else on her and that her collarbones were showing really turned him on.

"Viktor, you have too many clothes on," Alex called over the roar of the seagulls, waves, and the call of other people. "Take off your shirt! Your friend, too!"

Ivann laughed heartily, eyeing Alex with apparent interest. "_I think I like her._"

"_Watch out for her, though_," Viktor said as he and Ivann pulled their shirts over their heads. "_She is a little headstrong._"

"_As are all of the American women, yes?_" Ivann started laughing as they walked over towards Leigh Ann, though Viktor almost instantly tuned his friend out as soon as he was in close range of her.

She blushed crimson, and he was right when he had thought that she blushed all over—even her stomach was blushing! He was most appreciative of the redness on the tops of her breasts. "So, do you like it?" she asked, crossing her arms under her chest, not meeting his eyes. It created a shelf of breasts, which he couldn't for the life of him take his eyes off.

He grunted in approval, gently grasping her wrists and pulling her arms away from her toned stomach. "Do noot hide yourself," he whispered, gently bending down to touch his lips to her ear. "You are very beautiful."

"Really?" she asked, smiling up to him, her eyes clear and trusting and… _innocent._

"_Da_," he said with a head nod, putting his hands on either side of her indented waist. "Now, go put on soome clothes."

Her smile instantly faded. "What?"

Viktor smirked against her ear, leaning forwards to gently nip at the lower lobe. "I for vone loff you leek thees. Boot I do noot vant any oother men loofing your body as mooch as I do."

She smiled dryly, her eyes having lost their sparkle. Leigh Ann then grabbed his arm, starting to pull him away. "Come here."

"Vhere?"

"Just…keep walking," she said softly, a small hint of malice in her voice. They were walking along the beach, hand in hand, and for a moment, he didn't think that anything was wrong other than the fact that he wanted her to cover up, and that other men were looking at her.

The children around them were running rampant, young couples holding hands like they were and strolling. Leigh took a turn onto a medium white pier, where other couples were walking, and pulled him to the end.

Suddenly he lost his balance on the pier, and he was pushed directly into the water.

"Put some clothes on my ass!" she exclaimed the second he surfaced from the water. He coughed and sputtered, trying to wipe the water from his face so that he could see. He was almost sorry that he did, seeing the anger plain on her face. "So far, Viktor, you're only doing a great job of pissing me off!"

The fact that she only turned him on, with her fists on her hips and her legs braced, that angry spark of fury on her face… It wasn't helping him to be intimidated and apologetic.

Viktor grabbed her ankle off the pier, giving her a defiant look. "Viktor, if you mess up my hair I'll—!" and he pulled her in, just as she had this morning to him. Her hair darkened dramatically, almost to a complete black when she surfaced. She squealed and beat against his shoulders, finally giving in when he started kissing on her neck again, gently nibbling on her earlobe.

"Ooh, that's not going to work all the t-time," she said breathlessly, tangling her toes in the crisp hairs of his legs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him continue the ravaging of her soft skin, gently pressing her soft, luscious breasts against his chest, her slightly rounded abdomen gently pressing against his. "N-not if you keep sticking your foot in your mouth like that."

"I do noot oonderstand foot een mouth," he growled against her skin, gently nipping the soft patch of skin between her neck and shoulder, making her take a deep breath, "and I do noot understand vhy you vant me to be soory for vanting to protect you all the time. I alvays half vanted to, and I vill keep vanting to, but I veel stoop a leetle eef eet makes you happy." _Just as I have always wanted to kiss the tops of both of those breasts. That would make _me_ happy._

She giggled, as if she had just read his thoughts. Just wondering if she had heard that particular thought made him blush from head to foot, and he pulled away from her neck.

"Vhat?" he asked softly, brushing her hair out of her face. "Vhat ees so fooney?"

"N-nothing," she said, looking away and blushing.

Viktor gently picked up her chin, pulling her closer at the same time. He thought that he would die of the need of skin-to-skin contact, wanting all of her clothes off of her. He also thought that he would die if he couldn't kiss her soon. "Teel me."

She blushed deeply, pulling away from his hand. "Its just the fact that, even though I don't like a man being all protective…" she said softly, gently tracing one red fingernail down his chest, watching. It left a trail of sparks that made him want to groan and pull her forwards to kiss her. "I thought that it was incredibly sexy when you did it."

_Well this is definitely getting somewhere_, he thought, holding her to him when she laid her head down on his chest, kissing his collarbone, and wrapping her arms around his neck and tracing small circles on the back of his neck. Her toes on his legs made him wonder what her legs would feel like around his waist, as he thrust into her, and—

"Ugh, so you get angry at him and he _still _gets some?" came only a slightly familiar voice, which made the couple split apart. "You're too gracious a girl, Leigh."

"As I said before," Leigh said in a weak voice, "you have very bad timing, Alex."

"I met your friend, Viktor," Alex said in a sing-song voice, tugging a very flustered-looking Ivann along behind her. "Is he on the Quidditch team?"

"You noo Qeedeetch?" Ivann asked thickly in horrible English, looking as if he'd just seen a ghost. "Ah! You are vizard."

"Of course I'm a wizard," Alex scoffed, tossing the thick curtain of her black hair behind one shoulder. "All I know is that your accent is very sexy."

"Forgive my friend," Leigh said as Viktor tried to help her out of the water, wondering if it were legal to look that good while being wet. "She's very forward."

_I do not think Ivann minds._ At the moment, he was smiling brightly, strutting like a male peacock. "Aleex, vhy do you noot shoow Ivann around, teach heem Eengleesh?"

Ivann so owed him later, and the guy knew it. He was smiling as widely as a cat with cream all over its face, though, and most likely didn't care. "_Da_."

"Da?" Alex asked, looking to Leigh Ann for translation.

She laughed. "It means yes. Go on, I know you want to."

"Yay!" Alex exclaimed, grabbing Ivann's arm and tugging him along. "Come on, Ivann, I doubt you've ever had a hot dog…"

Leigh Ann leaned against his arm, staring after their best friends as they walked off. "Do you see a match?"

"Perhaps."

"Are we matchmakers, or what?"

Viktor laughed, wrapping his arms around her from behind and setting his chin on top of her head. "_Da_, and at the same time, _he_."

_**Later...**_

"Oh, I _love_ this song!" Leigh Ann cried a little bit later, after they had dried off and had had a very greasy, but somehow delicious, dinner. They were all sitting underneath a tree—Ginny, Ron, George, Fred, Rebecca, Hermione, Charlie, Alex, Ivann, Jason, Viktor, and Leigh Ann—listening to the bands playing up on the wooden stage.

This one was an upbeat, happy sounding song, and Leigh Ann looked ready to go up and dance. "Girls, come on, dance, please?"

"Yes, dance," George said, nudging Rebecca in the side. Her freckles instantly flared red, and she looked away, abashed. "C'mon, Becca. Have some fun, loosen up!"

"Well then why don't _you_ dance?" she asked, giving him a poke in the stomach.

"'Cause he looks like wet spaghetti when _he_ dances," Fred joked, getting a glare from his brother. "What, you do! And besides, he wants to watch you dance."

"That's not creepy," Alex said dryly, lying on her back, her head in Ivann's lap. "Not at all." She had sunglasses on, even though her eyes were closed, and was blowing some kind of pink bubble from her lips that popped, and then she brought it back into her mouth.

Rebecca was beet red, going shades darker than her long hair. "I-I guess I could dance."

Ginny was already on her feet, as were Alex and Leigh Ann, but Hermione refused to budge. "Oh, please?" Leigh Ann asked, looking anxious. "The song will be over soon, and besides, there are guys who will look at you too, Hermione. Sam, the football player, seemed to have had some interest in you. He's here, he'll notice you again."

"Sam…was interested in me?" Hermione asked, a small amount of blush on her face. "O-okay, I'll dance."

"Sam was a git," Ron said from next to Viktor, underneath his breath as the girls walked off.

"You just don't like him because he was interested in Hermione," Charlie said from the ground, laughing as he threw what appeared to be an old snitch up and down in the air.

"Like you are interested in my littlest sister?" Jason asked with a small laugh, making Charlie start to sputter. "You were drooling all over the letter that she sent that first day. I don't even think you've seen her yet and you're determined to already be in love!"

"I'm not in love with her. Besides, you and I would get into the battle of the century if that were to happen!"

Jason snorted, watching over his sister in the little dancing circle. "If I fought Jess's battle for her, she'd hex me into next week."

"Same for Ginny," Charlie said with a laugh. Ron, Fred, and George chimed in with a "Here, here!"

"I dunno, Jessica hasn't been spending a lot of time around all of us lately. She's not been home in a very, very long time..."

Viktor had always gotten a strange vibe from the little Nelson, but he didn't dwell over it long, as his eyes were taken to those of a certain curvy woman, who smiled at him as if he were the only person in the world.

_**That Night...**_

"Are they soopoosed to be so loud?" he asked, pulling her against his side.

She yawned and nodded, snuggling up against him. With her head against his shoulder, one arm around his waist, and their legs tangled up together, he was as comfortable _and_ uncomfortable as he could possibly be.

He couldn't help but let his hand caress her waist, or the swell of her hip. So what if his thumb brushed against the bottom of one plump, delectable breast? So what if his eyes sometimes drifted to the cleavage that formed whenever he squeezed her tighter to his side? She was his—mostly. She was also hers? It made no sense why she wanted to not be all his.

In Bulgaria, if a couple was a couple, then they were together—there was no looking at other people, no wanting to converse with the other sex unless they were close family friends or relatives. There was no dancing as she had done earlier, enticing every man around her to that innocent body, luring them closer with that child-like smile.

"_Mine_," he whispered in Bulgarian, his hand gently squeezing her round, tight butt.

She giggled, her face being lit up by a spectacular firework. "I love it when you speak Bulgarian. But I hate it at the same time because I can't tell what you're saying."

"Eet ees sexy?" he asked, smiling wryly down onto her beautiful face. Her eyes showed the reflection of the pink and blue fireworks that rained down like a weeping willow, sparkling in the hazel depths that showed her soul.

"Hmm, very," she whispered, snuggling up closer to him. He groaned, and her head instantly snapped up. "What's wrong?"

"You tooch me leek that, and you eexpeect me noot to vant to kees you?" he asked breathily, bringing up a hand to caress one soft cheek.

She took a deep breath, trying to watch the fireworks. She was trying just as hard not to give in as he was, and they both knew that they were losing that battle. "I-I already told you, I don't kiss on the first date."

He set his jaw. "Ve half known each oother for moonths, almoost a year. I half vanted to kees you seense I first saw you." _And I know that I already have. I just don't believe that you remember. I don't remember it much as well._

Leigh Ann raised up on one elbow, her hair creating a curtain around them as she looked on in curiosity. "Really?"

Viktor knew he couldn't touch her again, else he _would_ kiss her, so he put both hands behind his head, looking up at the stars and fireworks and away from her full, luscious lips. "_Da._"

She put one hand gently in the center of his chest, which made his gaze instantly snatch onto hers. Her usually bright hazel eyes were now dark, and yet they were still full of life, full of curiosity. "You…you thought I was pretty the first time you saw me?"

"You vere the moost beatifool vone there, the moost eentreeging," he whispered, noticing that she obviously didn't believe him.

"When we first met, you told me that you thought I was interesting and intriguing. But you never said anything about my looks."

"Eet vas noot prooper," he said, wishing that she would remove her hand, or at least stop the caressing of her fingers, or maybe tie her hair back so it wouldn't brush against his neck. "Boot now, I can teel you how beautiful you are every day."

She smiled weakly, her straight teeth shining in the darkness every time a firework went off. "I wish that we had more time together, Viktor, other than these next few days."

He finally gave in to the wish to touch her, reaching up to gently pull her down next to him. He let his lips touch the top of her head. "Ve vill make the mooch of eet, _da_?"

"And when we're apart?" she asked softly, snuggling up against his side once more.

"I vill keep a picture of you vith me alvays, and I vill veeseet as mooch as poosseeble." He wondered what he would do during her school year, as his schooling was now officially over. Would he get a job, or stay mainly professional with Quidditch?

"I'm still in school," she said softly, and he felt and heard her yawn. "You're out. Are you going to get a job?"

He knew that they thought a lot alike, and the fact that their minds were connected made him smile. "I may."

"And what about the girls?" she asked, so softly that he barely heard it above the _BOOM_ of a very large, very impressive firework. "I mean…I-I'm not going to be there, a-and a lot of those girls are pretty spectacular, and—"

"You," he said, squeezing her a little tighter than he meant to, "are the only voman for me. I do noot vant to talk about our seeparation anymore. Leet oos be happy foor now."

She smiled and nodded, giving off a little giggle. "It's not like you'll have to worry about the boys. I don't usually have to beat them off with a stick, it just started happening last year."

Viktor _really_ needed to learn how to control his protectiveness. He had her flipped over onto her back, practically on top of her, staring into her surprised eyes before he knew what was happening; he was practically straddling her! All he could think about were those men, the ones like Cormac, or even like George, whom he knew had asked Leigh Ann to the Yule Ball.

"Those men…eef they tooch you een _any_ vay—"

"Viktor," she said, her eyes slightly narrowed, "you're doing it again."

He about said something else, but then he felt as if a balloon being deflated and he let out all of the excess hot air inside. He thought that his vision had gone red, but it had just been a colorful firework. "I…I am soory," he whispered, gently kissing her nose. "I joost…I do noot vant anoother man een your life."

"There are three other men in my life besides you, and they're all in my family," she said softly, cupping his face gently, tenderly. "When I make a commitment, Viktor, I stick with it."

The light on her face and the realization that she was his and only his did something to him. He couldn't help but run his thumb gently over the swell of her plump bottom lip, or wonder if it tasted as good as she smelled. He couldn't help but slowly lean down, using his thumb to gently part her plump, moist lips before his barely ghosted over the lower, then the upper, getting a very soft mew of appreciation.

Viktor braced himself on his arms as he barely brushed his lips against hers again, back and forth as they got the feel of each other, as he tasted her, as she slowly warmed to the idea of _them_. It was torture to have to stay there while her fingers worked their way up his shirt, skittering, feeling. By the time they made it to his neck, the goosebumps on his body were already the size of eggs.

He knew how to take it slow, and he knew when a woman was ready to move on again. Though this was _his_ woman—was there much difference? Did he take it slower, faster? He wasn't sure as he put a slight more pressure against her lips—she took a deep breath of surprise, worry, anticipation?—and tangled his fingers in that long, curly, thick, luscious hair.

Most of his weight was on his knees now, down around her waist. Very, very slowly, he started to subtly move her until they were on their sides. Once that was achieved, both hands stayed anchored in her hair. Her body against his, her rapidly beating heart next to his, it all sent this into realization—he was finally kissing her.

Her lips, though full, wonderful, and luscious, were slightly inexperienced as he softly molded their lips together. When he pulled tenderly, she didn't understand that he was coming back and whimpered, tightening her grip on his neck. He did come back though, showing very much attention to her lower lip.

_I will teach her to kiss, _he thought, wondering if anyone could taste so sweet as her. She tasted like the sugar from the funnel cake, like the fruit from the smoothie. And was it strange to say that she tasted like Leigh Ann?

It was torture to have to move so slow, to take it easy, to not scare her. He gave much, much attention to that lower lip to make up for it. A little for every night he spent dreaming it, a little for every day he spent imagining it. His imagination was nothing like the real thing, though, and he wanted this to last as long as possible.

She started to relax underneath him again, so he knew that it was time to step it up a notch. He gently bit down on her lower lip, pulling it slowly away to open her lips to him. Leigh Ann gave a whimper of need, which sent an ache pulsing to his already-throbbing groin. Her leg slowly twined with one of his, pulling them closer when he tilted his head to the side, joining their mouths while only partially open to one another.

The fireworks in the sky weren't the only ones going off as he pulled on her lips, nibbling, teasing, wishing that he could teach her to use her tongue, to send their kiss to even another level. She had seemed too jittery whenever he had touched the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue, so he knew that she wasn't ready for that.

No matter how much he loved tasting her, wanting more of her and being able to have her, every human needed air. He slowly released her, gently dragging his lips down her throat to rest on her pulse point, nibbling slightly and making her let out a sexy little moan. He couldn't help but smile against her skin when he felt her pulse beating wildly, nor could he help untangling his hands, letting them roam down her waist, to rest on her hips and pull her closer as he ravaged her neck.

She was breathing heavily as he drug his lips down to trace her collarbone, to nip it, her wander lower, to touch his lips gently to each round orb, which were both his for the taking. They were cool and covered in small goosebumps, and when she took a breath he was pushed against them more.

"Mmm…" he growled lowly, letting his lips wander back upwards, letting his hands wander _backwards_… "I half been vanting to do that foor a _very_ loong teem."

Leigh Ann gave a short, nervous laugh, though it was low and husky, which made lust shoot through his veins. "You've been wanting to kiss my breasts?" she asked softly, her fingers playing with the small hairs on the back of his neck.

He looked up from them, to see that her eyes were the darkest he had ever seen them. Her hair was tangled, wild, and her face was glowing, alight with excitement. The blush in her cheeks was everywhere, even on the tops of her breasts, and her lips were red and puffy. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that he was very attracted to her at this point. "That, and kees you."

She gave another laugh, this time initiating a kiss with it. She was a little less nervous as she used the leverage with her hands on his head to pull him closer, parting her lips first off. He tilted his head further to the side, to open their mouths to each other more. She was very eager now, wrapping one of her legs around both of his, and he was eager to teach her.

He was so close to getting her ready to be used to the idea of their tongues touching, so ready to feel that extra pleasure, but she pulled away before he could and sat up, taking deep breaths.

"Leahn, vhat—?"

"The fireworks finale just started," she said breathlessly, holding one hand to her chest. "We've missed them."

Viktor sat up beside her, wrapping one arm around her waist and playfully nipping at her ear. "I theenk eet vas vorth eet." The finale was very spectacular, though, as they sat there together and watched. It was actually very romantic as well.

She turned and gave him one quick peck on the lips, her face completely serious, but something…_special_ in her eyes. "I do, too."

"Ivann says that I am loosing my game," he said to her, not being able to help it as he curled her up in his lap, kissing at her neck again. It was just too soft to resist.

"Why would he say that?" she asked, giggling when he nipped at her neck again, squeezing her around the waist.

It took Viktor a second to answer, as he was occupied. "Becoose I half noot thought olf another voman seence the day that I saw you. Eet has been over a year seence I half kissed somevone."

"Well, obviously you have a lot of game or I wouldn't have let you snog me senseless," she breathed, suddenly giggling again. He could get used to a woman's laughter once more. "Snog. What a word."

"I theenk that Aleex and Ivann half snooged a leetle as vell?" he asked, nodding his head in their friend's direction. Alex had a starry look in her eyes, her lipstick smeared slightly and her hair frazzled. Leigh Ann's lipstick had worn off long ago, else wise he was sure he'd have it all over his face just like Ivann did.

"I told you we're good matchmakers," she sighed, snuggling into his shirt. "Now, we've just got to match up the rest of your team so that they'll quit bugging the female population of my town."

"Vhat a task that vould be..." Viktor scoffed, nuzzling his head into her neck.

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**BUAHAHA! I do love this story, and I hope you do too! I've got to get writing on Part III, because this Part is almost over! (Less than four chapters!) Sooo, here's a look at the next chapter!**

"And besides, I've known Krum for a lot longer, _and_ I knew him outside of Quidditch. This is a professional sport. I won't let my team get distracted."

"You seemed _very_ distracted at the fireworks last night," Ralph Heidelberger chuckled, making the rest of the team do the same.

Fire was in my face, and I felt my ears burning. "You are all insufferable!"

Robert laughed out loud, suddenly mimicking an English accent. "Oi, just talk like a bloomin' Englishwoman to us, mate! Your friends are quite lovely, if I do say so myself, if I'm not quite mistaken."

"Govna, I'd like a cup of tea," Greg Ruczinsk said with the same accent, making the two men laugh.

"ENOUGH!" I cried, brandishing my wand and pointing it at them. They suddenly stopped laughing, taking a step back. "Conditioning, now."

"But there's a game tonight," Gianni Fedele said, her mouth hanging open. "You can't just put us through rigorous conditioning before the game! Besides, I haven't done anything!"

I didn't waver. "If there's anything that I've learned in school, its that if one person gets in trouble, the entire class, or team gets in trouble. Now go. I don't expect you to stop for a half an hour." When no one moved, I instantly yelled, "GO!" Angry red sparks jumped from my wand.

They moved, bitterly glaring at each other for having to do conditioning in the one-hundred degree heat. I sighed, wishing that I hadn't had to do that, but I'd lost my cool.

"Leigh Ann."

"_What_?" I snapped, turning my face towards whomever had called my name.

Harold Flannigan had his hands held up defensively, ready to step back. "Whoa, girl, calm down. I just needed your signature on the ticket slip."

I ran a hand through my hair, rubbing my face irately. _Shit. Not good to snap at the assistant manager._ "Sorry, Harold. I didn't get much sleep last night."


	27. July Fifth: Part I

**And now, we get closer to the climax of Part II...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor do I own Quidditch, which is a part of Harry Potter, which you probably guessed...I'm going to stop babbling now and let you read the story.**

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**July Fifth**

**Part One**

**America vs. Bulgaria**

"Singleton?"

"Here."

"Brankovitch?"

"I'm here, I'm here."

"Fedele."

"Yeah, boss."

"Muntz."

"Mm-hmm."

"Green."

"You betcha."

"Ruczinsk?"

"Yes."

"Duvall."

"Uh-huh."

"And Heidelberger."

"Present."

I looked up from my clipboard to look at the line of professional Quidditch players in front of me. They were all decked out in their bright white uniforms, with the red and blue accents and the red turtlenecks underneath. Most of them wore a cooling charm to keep from dying in the intense July heat. "How many of you drank yesterday? Besides you, Ariel, you're underage, and if by chance you did drink, I would have you benched faster than you could say 'Snitch.'"

The little redhead blushed, her green eyes flashing innocently. "I-I didn't, Leigh Ann."

"The rest of you, then. Cough up, I know it was the Fourth."

Green, Brankovitch, and Duvall raised their hands bashfully. Troy Duvall's eyes were bloodshot with red. Robert Green, with his dark skin and bald head, was holding his head as if he had a hangover.

_Oh, I'll give you a hangover. _I snatched Troy's Beater bat from his hand and hit all three of the men over their heads. "Idiots! If I could pull you all out and still win the game, I would do it in a heartbeat."

"Well _you're_ the one who's cavorting with the enemy," Maximus Brankovitch the Third grumbled under his breath, rubbing his head where I had hit him. "You and Krum. If I didn't know better, you were giving away team secrets."

I was seeing red. Or I thought I was seeing red. It might have been the red walls that I had spent days painting by hand and with magic. "This has nothing to do with Viktor and me. My relationship with him doesn't cloud my judgment like alcohol does yours."

"If anything," Debbie Muntz said, a small smile on her face as she stepped up, "it should cloud _Krum's_ judgment while he's flying for the Snitch. Leigh Ann is going to be flying around out there, refereeing, and Viktor won't be able to keep his eyes off of her."

I couldn't believe what Debbie was insinuating. "H-he'll be fine. He's Viktor Krum for Christ's sake."

"Viktor Krum couldn't keep his eyes off your ass at practice," Debbie scoffed, her eyes rolling in her head. "I doubt that he'll be able to keep them off it during the game. So, this is a good thing, Brankovitch."

Troy Duvall shook his head, rubbing the spot where I'd hit him. "She didn't let me have my fun with that Clara girl…"

"Clara can't even speak three words of English, Troy," I growled, beating the bat against my hand menacingly. "And besides, I've known Krum for a lot longer, _and_ I knew him outside of Quidditch. This is a professional sport. I won't let my team get distracted."

"You seemed _very_ distracted at the fireworks last night," Ralph Heidelberger chuckled, making the rest of the team do the same.

Fire was in my face, and I felt my ears burning. "You are all insufferable!"

Robert laughed out loud, suddenly mimicking an English accent. "Oi, just talk like a bloomin' Englishwoman to us, mate! Your friends are quite lovely, if I do say so myself, if I'm not quite mistaken."

"Govna, I'd like a cup of tea," Greg Ruczinsk said with the same accent, making the two men laugh.

"ENOUGH!" I cried, brandishing my wand and pointing it at them. They suddenly stopped laughing, taking a step back. "Conditioning, now."

"But there's a game tonight," Gianni Fedele said, her mouth hanging open. "You can't just put us through rigorous conditioning before the game! Besides, I haven't done anything!"

I didn't waver. "If there's anything that I've learned in school, its that if one person gets in trouble, the entire class, or team gets in trouble. Now go. I don't expect you to stop for a half an hour." When no one moved, I instantly yelled, "GO!" Angry red sparks jumped from my wand.

They moved, bitterly glaring at each other for having to do conditioning in the one-hundred degree heat. I sighed, wishing that I hadn't had to do that, but I'd lost my cool.

"Leigh Ann."

"_What_?" I snapped, turning my face towards whomever had called my name.

Harold Flannigan had his hands held up defensively, ready to step back. "Whoa, girl, calm down. I just needed your signature on the ticket slip."

I ran a hand through my hair, rubbing my face irately. _Shit. Not good to snap at the assistant manager._ "Sorry, Harold. I didn't get much sleep last night." Sexual frustration was not a good thing when trying to sleep. "And besides, they know they aren't supposed to drink before a big game."

Harold shook his head as I signed the slip of permission for the ticket salesmen to actually sell the tickets. Normally, I would never have missed something like that. But, with the way my mind was, every little thing that was normally done first, I seemed to be missing. "You just need to put that Seeker out of your mind, Leigh Ann."

"Its kind of hard to get your boyfriend out of your mind," I grumbled, crossing my arms under my chest and huffing, turning away from him.

"_Boyfriend_?" Harold asked incredulously, his voice so soft that I barely heard him.

"Y-yeah," I said, fidgeting with the hem of my white church blouse. "There shouldn't be a problem."

"Leigh, you're refereeing!" he growled, throwing his hands up in the air irritably. I wondered if he knew how much he looked like a big red beat, with that Weasley-looking hair and his face all red. "You can't be having some affair with the opposite team's Seeker!"

"It's not an affair, we're openly going out!"

"Then why haven't I heard until now!"

I wanted to punch something. "We just started dating yesterday."

"And the fact that no one else knows doesn't bother you in any way at all?"

"Well, we'll tell people, sooner or later," I mumbled, taking my clipboard and starting to move away, checking off everything that I had done, then checking the ones I hadn't, to make sure I didn't forget anything else. _Ah…lets go check on the _Rocket_, shall we?_

Harold moved with me, his short, stubby legs having a difficult time keeping up. "Most likely later, I'm guessing."

"We don't want people harassing us, like you're doing now," I snapped, throwing my pen away. It was the only thing I could do, as I couldn't just punch or throw anything else. "So stop."

"Leigh Ann, is he using you?"

"_They think that I am using you, and that you are using me. That ve are using each oother…"_

It was hard not to smile as I remembered that. "When you look at it, it appears that we are, but we aren't. He's the stereotypical protective boyfriend, so lay off." I walked ahead, to try and get to the American's conference room, to the special broom that we had been testing just for today. "Now stop, and lets go see the broom."

He frowned and had that look that said he _wanted_ to resume the previous conversation, but he would drop it. "Is it ready?"

"Not as well as I'd like it to be, for the team to just pick it up and play on it in a day, without practicing."

"But _you've _been practicing on it," he said, looking very miffed.

I nodded, reaching the secured vault and slowly taking down the charms and wards around the small metal safe behind the painting in the conference room. The Sitka spruce wood that we'd found that was light but durable shone lightly in the dim box. I pulled it out, wondering if the thin oak twigs at the end, mixed with the phoenix feathers and every charm known for broom flying (plus a few more) would be enough to have the fastest broom alive.

"I know I have. But I'm not willing to risk anyone's life on a broom that hasn't been thoroughly tested."

Harold rubbed one side of his face, which I took to be a sign of frustration and nervousness. "We _need_ this broom to work, Leigh. If it doesn't—"

"It will," I snapped, softly running my fingers over the perfect handle. "Just not tonight. I'm not willing to risk America's chance in the World Cup just because you can't wait for them to try out a new broom."

"We might not make it without this broom! If you could just let Maximus use it—"

My glare must have shut him up, because he instantly got quiet. I was _so_ not in the mood for this. "This is _my_ broom, Harold. _I_ will choose to manufacture more of it, _I_ will choose to let them use it. But as it would be on my head if someone got hurt, _no one _is using it unless it is me, do you understand?"

He set his jaw, crossed his arms over his chest, and nodded irately.

I put the broom back in the box, locking it. "Good."

And that was the last I had to say to him as I put the wards and charms back around the box, making damn sure that the Bulgarians wouldn't be able to find it.

_**Viktor Krum**_

Viktor, tired from this morning's training and irate from his lack of sleep, trudged through the hallways of the Quidditch pitch, still unable to take a nap and get rid of his grogginess.

He knew that his lack of sleep was from his woman, and the thoughts he'd entertained during the night. He knew that he shouldn't have thought about her in that way, not yet, but he'd been fantasizing about her since he first met her. He was only human, after all, and male at that.

He heard something going on outside, so he decided to check it out. The sounds got louder, the light brighter, and the heat more excruciating as he made his way there, so he cast a cooling charm over his Quidditch uniform and stepped outside.

The American team was flying complicated, Advanced maneuvers, appearing without cooling charms and sweating out everything inside of them.

"COME ON, YOU DRUNKARDS," Leigh Ann's voice rang out angrily over the air. He looked up to find her, and he saw her directly in the center circle of the team, her wand against her throat. "SWEAT OUT THAT ALCOHOL."

Viktor couldn't help but let out a laugh. There she was, in the center of many sweaty Quidditch stars, with murder on their faces, dressed in her Sunday best and her hair done up perfectly around her head, high heels on her feet.

"THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU DRINK THE NIGHT BEFORE A GAME, YOU IDIOTS. REMEMBER THIS WELL: _I AM NOT YOUR CAPTAIN, I AM YOUR COACH, AND IN THIS INSTANCE, I HAVE MORE AUTHORITY OVER YOU THAN HIM._"

Viktor had to bite his cheek to not laugh at this display of sports anger. She circled again, taking her wand off her throat to yell at each of the players individually, grabbing their collars and shaking them or hitting them over the heads.

Finally, she landed, throwing her broom to the side. He knew that she was mumbling irately under her breath, probably cursing out her team. _It is a good thing that she is not our trainer,_ he thought, smiling at her as she kicked at something on her grass. _We drink every day, even before a game._

He saw that she was coming his way, but that she hadn't seen him yet, so he hid behind the corner in the hallway and waited for her. Finally, he heard her soft voice and the click of her heels, and he reached an arm out, pulling her to him and forcing his mouth on hers.

She let out a scream of protest until she figured out who he was, and then she giggled against his lips and kissed him back. Her slim arms wrapped around his neck, and he gently pushed her up against the wall, letting his hands roam her curving hips. He pushed his hips to hers, gently moving against her, so that she could feel how much he had really missed her.

Leigh Ann quickly pulled away from the playful kiss, sighing in content and lying her head against his chest. He wondered if she even knew his lust. "Oh, get me out of here, please. I'm about to go crazy."

Viktor chuckled and rested his hands on her hips, letting his thumbs rub against the hem of her shirt, pushing it up and rubbing against the bare skin of her hip bones. He felt slightly drunk in her presence. "Eet vill be alright."

"Mmm…" she moaned, shaking her head, moving her hips against his. "No, it won't be, but I'll have to deal with it. You know, you smell really good."

_As do you_, he thought, wondering if the smell of freshly-cut grass would ever leave her. "Eet ees alvight for your team to celebrate."

She snorted that cute little laugh of hers, snuggling up against him even more. How was it that _he _was now against the wall? She set her chin up on his chest, looking at him. "They were drunk as buzzards this morning when they walked in here."

"So vas my team."

"You weren't," she said matter-of-factly, wiggling her eyebrows as if she were playful. He almost wanted to correct her, but decided that it was best not to. "And besides, I'm sure that you guys drink a lot."

"True," he said, kissing her forehead lovingly.

"So," she said, drawing out the 'O', "how much is a lot?"

Viktor had to smirk. "Are you vorried about my drinking habits?"

She leaned up and kissed him again, though it wasn't long enough for his taste. "Maybe just a little. I have a right to worry, though. I _am_ your girlfriend."

He felt a satisfied rumble go through his body as he pulled her closer to him, gently searching her lips with his. "I like the sound of that," he growled against her lips, wondering if she was up to learning a few more things from him today.

Leigh Ann gave a sexy little purr and he parted her lips, instantly putting their bodies together. He instantly wondered how he could have slept without her warming his bed last night, without those pert breasts against his chest, those lean legs slowly moving against his, and those wide hips that were just perfect to grasp onto and thrust.

Viktor had to hold in his moan as he let his hands trail back up, gently under that sensible white button-up blouse, so that he could massage the cool skin of her waist and stomach with the pads of his thumbs. He decided to see if she what she would allow, and he slowly let his hands wander upwards…

Suddenly she pulled away, her breathing heavy, her eyes lidded in a way that really made him want to throw him over his shoulder and take her away to ravish her. "I need to go do that thing," she whispered, her words low and husky.

He couldn't help but smile; her innocence and hesitation amused him. He slowly moved his hands back down. "You are here, _da_? Vhat ees so eempoortant noot to vant to stay?"

Leigh Ann blushed, looking away and hugging herself to him. "I would stay here forever if I didn't have other commitments." She sat her chin on his chest and looked up at him, a smile on her face. "The French Ambassador calls, unfortunately."

"The French Ambassador?" Perhaps her clothing hadn't been for church, but for meeting a diplomat.

She nodded and leaned against him again, squeezing him tight. "He's a big fan of yours. And apparently Ariel's as well, though hers are probably for her looks."

He raised his eyebrow at her in mock confusion. "And he does noot like me for my looks?"

Her laugh vibrated through his chest, and he thought that he could get used to it. "If it were that, I'd be worried at him getting to meet you."

"Are you getting protective, Mees Neelsoon?"

Another laugh. "Perhaps. My teddy bear can't get stolen from me after only one day."

"Teddy bear?"

She nodded against his chest, snuggling up against him as he squeezed her slightly back. He even allowed himself to put his head in her curly, up-done hair. It smelled like strawberries. "I want to cuddle with you all day."

"But you must speak to the French Ambassador."

She raised an eyebrow, though didn't open her eyes. "I do speak French, you know."

He had been wondering. "Here you are, reading my mind already."

She sighed and let him go, reaching up on her tiptoes to give him another peck on the lips. "I have to go."

Viktor strengthened his grip on her waist, forcing her to stay in place. "No, you do noot."

She gave him a firm look, putting her hands on his chest and gently pushing. "Viktor, I really have to go." She gave him one more short kiss. "See you later."

And then his wily witch Apparated out of his arms, and into those of a French Ambassador.

* * *

**Short chapter, I know, and I apologize. But I've got to space these out as I finish Part III of the story! Thank you, all of you, who have been waiting patiently as I leave town for days and don't post on time!**

**Here's a look at the next chapter!**

"Beautiful," he said in heavily-accented English, bowing low and capturing my hand in his. He kissed the back of my hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Iñigo Fuente Marrero, Seeker for the Spanish National Quidditch Team. I hope I am not being forward by saying that you are beautiful, _chica._"

I had just died and went to heaven. _Iñigo Fuente Marrero, my idol, just called me beautiful!_ "N-no, not at all. M-my name is Leigh Ann Nelson. I'm the m-manager of the pitch and American National Quidditch Team"

He clasped one hand beneath and one over my hand, smiling at me, showing those bright white teeth and those cute little dimples. He then leaned forwards and kissed my left cheek, slowly, and then my right one, taking plenty of time to pull away. "I have heard many great things about you. I must say, Miss Nelson, that your reputation for managing precedes you. Your pitch is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, second only to both of the women in my company." _Iñigo Fuente Marrero is commenting on my pitch!_ "It is too bad that you are taken, you would be quickly snatched up in my country."

_Taken?_ I thought, staring into his handsome eyes. _Oh, I'm taken. _And the object that had "taken" me was instantly behind me, one arm wrapped around my waist. "Oh! Viktor!" I exclaimed, turning to look up at his handsome face. At the moment it was dark and stormy, his eyes glaring into those of my idol. _Oh, crap. I'm screwed._

"Yes, Iñigo," Viktor said in a low, menacing voice. "She ees takeen."


	28. July Fifth: Part II

**This is rated 'M' for a reason, people! Just saying~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor do I own Family Guy. Two totally different things. I own Leigh Ann, though!**

* * *

**July Fifth**

**Part Two**

**Quidditch Idols**

"Oh my God!" Leigh Ann gasped, her mouth hanging open and her eyes widening, sparkling. She had stopped in place, and everyone turned around to see what she had spotted.

"What?" Hermione asked, squinting as if to see what Leigh Ann had seen. "What is it?"

Suddenly Leigh Ann started speaking in what sounded like rapid French, though parts of it obviously weren't French. Jason tried to keep up with her, but couldn't for the life of him understand what she was saying. Was that _Spanish_, too?

He looked around, trying to figure out what was wrong with his sister, when his eyes stopped on a tall, dark figure next to a smaller blonde one. "Oh. I know what it is."

"Well tell us, then," Ron said, an annoyed glint in his eyes.

Jason sighed and rubbed his temples, gesturing towards the man who was at the moment speaking to the French Ambassador.

"Who is that?" Ginny asked, squinting her eyes.

Leigh Ann stopped her rambling, looking at Ginny with wide eyes. "_Who is that_?" she asked incredulously, her hands on her face. "That's only Iñigo Fuente Marrero, the Seeker for the Spanish National Quidditch team!"

Jason leaned over to Ron to whisper, "_Leigh Ann's favorite Quidditch player._"

"Ah," Ronald replied, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Well, go talk to him, then."

Leigh Ann looked very, very flustered. "I can't just go walking up to Iñigo Fuente Marrero and _talk to him_! Are you insane?"

"Apparently, according to you I am," he said, rolling his eyes. "This is your field, Leigh Ann, go talk to him!"

She looked like she was arguing with herself inside her head, and she was mumbling to herself. Overall, it wasn't attractive. At all. "I…I guess it is my field, isn't it?"

"What, forget already?" Jason asked, his voice dripping with dryness.

Anna slapped him a little harder than necessary and started primping without a mirror. "Is my hair okay? How about my clothes? Do my socks match?"

Jason, having had enough, put his hands on his sister's back and pushed her forwards. "Get going. You look fine."

"You're my brother, I can't trust _you_ with how I look! I probably have something stuck in my teeth!"

"You look fine, Leigh Ann," Ginny said, nudging her friend. "If you want to talk to the guy so badly, just walk over there!"

"Y-yeah, o-okay."

_**Leigh Ann**_

_Right. I'll just go over there and talk to Iñigo Fuente Marrero and act like I'm passing the time. Right! Okay, Leigh, calm down, look, the French Ambassador is there, you can act as translator! Thank God!_

I took a deep breath and straightened my prim little short-sleeved jacket, wondering why I'd asked if my socks matched because I wasn't wearing any! My black high heels made me three inches taller than I really was. Anyways, my black pencil skirt was perfect, my white blouse was perfect, and my little jacket was perfect, so I had no idea why I was nervous as I walked up to my idol, _my idol_, Marreo.

"_Bonjour_!" I called to the small, female French Ambassador. The woman turned back to me and her eyes widened joyously.

"Leigh Ann-eh Neelson! Oh, what a pleesoor!" She opened her arms wide, settling her petite hands on my shoulders, kissing each of my cheeks. "Where have you been, you silly girl? You were soopoosed to be showing me around, _oui?_" The French Ambassador, Annie Sweetledon, was a small girl of perhaps twenty-two. She had to weigh all of seventy pounds and had to be perhaps five foot tall. She was blonde, with bright blue eyes and a beautiful, trusting face.

"_Oui, mademoiselle, je suis désolé._" Then, with shaky legs and a fast heart, I turned to look my handsome idol in the face. _God, you're beautiful_. He had thick, dark, curly hair that touched the tips of his coco-colored ears. His face was strong, with a wide jaw and a squared, dimpled chin. When he smiled, he had dimples in his cheeks and it reached his chocolate-colored eyes. "Hello, I'm—"

"Beautiful," he said in heavily-accented English, bowing low and capturing my hand in his. He kissed the back of my hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Iñigo Fuente Marrero, Seeker for the Spanish National Quidditch Team. I hope I am not being forward by saying that you are beautiful, _chica._"

I had just died and went to heaven. "N-no, not at all. M-my name is Leigh Ann Nelson. I'm the m-manager of the pitch and American National Quidditch Team"

He clasped one hand beneath and one over my hand, smiling at me, showing those bright white teeth and those cute little dimples. He then leaned forwards and kissed my left cheek, slowly, and then my right one, taking plenty of time to pull away. "I have heard many great things about you. I must say, Miss Nelson, that your reputation for managing precedes you. Your pitch is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, second only to both of the women in my company." _Iñigo Fuente Marrero is commenting on my pitch!_ "It is too bad that you are taken, you would be quickly snatched up in my country."

_Taken?_ I thought, staring into his handsome eyes. _Oh, I'm taken. _And the object that had "taken" me was instantly behind me, one arm wrapped around my waist. "Oh! Viktor!" I exclaimed, turning to look up at his handsome face. At the moment it was dark and stormy, his eyes glaring into those of my idol. _Oh, crap. I'm screwed._

"Yes, Iñigo," Viktor said in a low, menacing voice. "She ees takeen."

Iñigo smiled that white smile and shrugged, as if it were no big deal. "As I said, it is too bad. I do not wish to step on any toes, Viktor."

Viktor tightened his arm, not taking his eyes off of the Spanish Seeker. "Eet seems that you are alvays doing that, yes?" I realized that they were both about the same height and size, with the same eyes, (though Viktor's were prettier,) and yet they both acted completely different. I wondered if, when Viktor's hair grew out, if it was as curly as Iñigo's. It would be nice to find out.

Iñigo frowned, making his face turn almost frightening. "Now, Viktor, there is no need to talk of such things in front of your lady friend."

"My _lady friend_ can roon circles around you on the Quidditch pitch," Viktor said with a self-satisfied smile, giving my waist a little squeeze. "She has every right to leesten to our coonvoorsatioon."

Iñigo turned to me with another bright smile, which I was beginning to think was saved only for women. "Ah, beautiful_ and_ talented, I see."

I felt myself blushing, and I wrapped my arms around Viktor's waist. It was starting to be uncomfortable, and I was almost ready to leave, until the French Ambassador suddenly gasped. "Leigh Ann-eh Nelsoon, why did you not tell me zat you were wiz ze Viktor Krum!"

_Oh, shit. _"Ah, well, you see..."

"I am so happy for you, Leigh Ann-eh! Eet ees wonderful, having someone as handsome as he is!" I blushed down to my toes, and Viktor was blushing, too. I was worried, once I'd figured out that they'd sent the _female _Ambassador, that she'd be after Viktor, as she was "such a big fan." But Iñigo seemed to be fixing her love towards Viktor and turning it onto himself.

"Viktor, this is the French Ambassador, Annie Sweetledon. As I've told you already today, she's a big fan of yours." They exchanged pleasantries and handshakes, Viktor's hold on me never wavering.

"Leigh Ann," Iñigo said suddenly, "are you not a referee?"

Dread instantly filled me, as only a few select people knew that I was refereeing. "Yes, but how—?"

"I have friends in high places," he said simply, smiling with lowered eyelids. "I would hope that your relationship with any of the players would not mar your judgment."

I sighed and put my hand on Viktor's chest. "Viktor, I'm sorry, but if you made a _single_ foul, or even _moved_ towards one, I'd be on you like peanut butter on jelly."

Annie looked confused. "I'm soory?"

"Its a saying, Miss. Meaning that if he made a single foul, I wouldn't let him get away with it. This is _my_ pitch, and no one is going to foul on my watch." All three of the people in my audience were silent after that, thinking to themselves, nodding.

"Leahn, ve moost go," Viktor said into my ear, squeezing my side once more.

I nodded and smiled to both Iñigo and Annie, bowing low to both of them. "If you would excuse us, I will see you all at the start of the game." Annie kissed both of my cheeks, while Iñigo pulled my hand to his lips, kissing it with his soft lips. He then kissed each of my cheeks quickly, making me blush. _Viktor, it was just a goodbye..._ I couldn't help smiling, and I made myself quickly back away into the safe arms of my boyfriend. _Ha, boyfriend. It still sounds funny, even when I'm just thinking it._

"I will see you again, Leigh Ann Nelson," Iñigo said softly, giving me a wink. My face flamed up and I quickly turned away from them both, letting Viktor lead me away. It was nice to have his arm around my shoulders, but I was still worried about what people would think when they saw us together. I tried not to worry as I leaned into his warm embrace, wondering if he thought about our relationship and the consequences that could happen like I did. He didn't seem to think anything at the moment, though, as he was rushing us away, into the bowels of my stadium. He took a turn and gently pushed me into what I knew was his room.

It looked a lot like I remembered it to be back on the Durmstrang ship, dark, mahogany wood with a four-postered bed and lots and lots of furs. The bed looked so inviting, but I knew that it would look wrong if I just ran over there and jumped on it like a child, so instead I sunk down in front of the fire, (despite it being the hottest day in July,) into the cushions of a very large plush chair.

He didn't move from the doorway.

"Viktor," I said in a tired voice, pulling off my jacket, "come sit down. I know you have to be tired."

He just grunted, moving to stand behind me, settling his hands on my shoulders. When he started to massage my shoulders, I let myself relax, letting out a well-deserved groan as his large hands worked out the kinks of my back. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my shoulder, then my neck, then my jaw.

"Mmm...keep doing that," I sighed, loving the feel of his stubble against my cheek. He gently drug his teeth down my neck, making me shiver in the feelings he gave me. "And if you do keep doing that, I'm going to want to kiss you."

His hands suddenly stopped, and as quick as lightening he was in front of me, his eyes full of fire as he put both hands on the armrests on either side of me. He didn't say anything as he leaned forwards, gently brushing his lips over my cheeks, down my neck and up again, and slowly taking my mouth in his. I absolutely loved the feel of his lips against mine, the way he was gentle but rough at the same time. When he'd kissed me yesterday, lying down in the grass, I'd never wanted it to end. I'd wanted him to touch me in places I'd never thought about being touched. I'd felt wanton and free, and ready for whatever he dished out.

And I felt that way now, too, as I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. He smirked against our kiss and put his hands on either one of my hips, swiftly picking me up. I let out a small squeal, laughing as I clamped my legs down around his waist and my arms around his neck, trying not to fall. I was actually surprised that he could pick me up, and he didn't even look like he was struggling.

He kissed me again, parting our lips to each other like he had done last night, and he ran his hands up my thighs, pushing my skirt even higher up. I didn't know why he was suddenly all lust-filled and touchy-feely, but I was actually okay with it right now. For one of the first times in my life, I could let go, relax, and have fun. And kissing Viktor was very, _very _fun.

He suddenly pulled away, using his nose to turn my head to the side, gently kissing the underneath side of my jaw. Now he was sitting on the edge of his bed, showing a lot of attention to my neck. I moaned at the sensations that were flowing through me, gently grinding my hips against his to rid myself of the ache, but it only sent my hormones raging. I found it strange that he took a deep breath against my neck, but I guess that I was distracted by the hands against my body. "You _smell_ like heem," he said softly, menacingly, as he tightened his arms around me.

I froze underneath his hold. After the shock of what he said wore off, I tried to untangle my legs from his waist, but he would have none of it. "Viktor, I was just—"

"He ees vone of my greatest rivals," he said, gently biting the side of my neck. I had to bite my lip to keep from letting out a moan. "And vhen I saw you, toolking to him, letting him touch you, letting him _kees_ you..." Viktor's hands gently ran up my legs until my skirt was bunched around my waist. I blushed, as he could see the white lace underwear that I wore on special occasions, and I was a little uncomfortable with it.

"Viktor, _please_ understand, cheek kissing is a common form of greeting in Spain and France. Annie kissed me too!" He seemed to calm down upon hearing that tidbit of information, but he was still pretty steamed about all of this. I'd forgotten that the two people whom Viktor despised the most were the Irish Seeker and Iñigo, the Spanish Seeker. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," I said softly, bringing his face up to mine and gently kissing him. I pulled away and looked into his beautiful eyes, which were full of anger and what I presumed was lust. "I forgot that you were enemies with him. I really did. He's been my idol for a long time, and I needed to talk to the Ambassador, who was right next to him. Forgive me?"

This was not an, 'I'm going to get angry with you because you're being over-protective,' conversation. This was an, 'I'm sorry, dearest, I didn't mean to.' I knew the difference. He looked angry enough to go out and murder someone.

He leaned forwards and kissed me for a few more moments, until I forgot about the conversation all-together, until I was nothing but mush in his hands. I felt those hands running up and down my waist, his thumbs moving up under my shirt. I knew that my brain was giving me warning signs, but my body was telling me to tighten my hold on his neck and push him forwards, onto the bed. Another one was telling me to unwrap my legs, to set them on either side of his hips, which I managed to do with some difficulty.

Viktor smirked and somehow he unbuttoned the last button on my shirt. _Warning, warning! _my brain kept shouting, but I couldn't listen to it. I was too caught up in his intoxicating smell, in his stubble against my cheeks and on my neck. His hands wandered up along the outside of my shirt, his thumbs directly under my breasts. I didn't bother noticing or giving a warning on that because I didn't think he'd do anything. Well, at least until his thumbs gently brushed over the tops of my breasts, making me pull back and gasp for air.

Red lights were going off in my head, and he looked at me with a slight amount of fear in his wonderful eyes. "I...I am going too fast," he said softly, leaning his head down onto my shoulder. "I am soorry."

_This is a normal part of the relationship,_ I thought, trying to remember everything that Alex had told me. _This is second base, right? Second base, it happens in all relationships..._ I was still a little weirded-out. I mean, why would a guy want to touch a girl's breasts? They were what held milk sacks for babies and made of fat!

I smiled a little shakily, picking his head up to gently kiss his lips. Then I grabbed his hand and gently placed it on top of my left breast. He pulled away in confusion, but I quickly put my lips back on his before I could let my embarrassment take control and let it rule. His lips made me forget, his kiss intoxicated me. His thumb gently brushed over the tip of my breast again, and it sent a wondrous feeling of pleasure throughout me. _Oh...maybe this is why._ _Ohhh... _

He molded my breast with his large hand, even though he really couldn't hold all of it. It was a pleasant feeling, his hand there, and it made me want to do something more, but I knew that I couldn't. He thought he could, though, and he started to work my shirt up my waist with his other hand. My entire face was flushed when I pulled away and couldn't meet his eyes. I brought my left hand back and showed him my promise ring one more time, taking a deep breath and trying to calm myself. "I-I'm sorry, Viktor, we've g-got to take this one step at a time."

Viktor had to take a _lot_ of deep breaths, putting his head in my neck. His hand had left my breast and both were now sitting on my waist, a safe distance from both my hips _and_ my breasts. It took him a second before he could answer. "I am soory, loff. I loose coontrool vhen I am around you."

"Its alright, sweetheart, its alright," I cooed, gently running my hands over his shoulders, his arms. "This is new for me, we just need to go slow." His body sure didn't want to go slow, though. I could feel his erection plain as day against my underwear. I knew that I couldn't just leave him like this, but I really couldn't do anything about it, either. So I just kissed him again.

That was the time that three loud _BANG_'s came from the thick wooden door, and a voice shouted something in Bulgarian. Viktor flushed a dark maroon, his face turning sour. He shouted something back angrily. Then again, all of it sounded angry to me, so I really couldn't say anything.

"What is it?" I asked softly, dragging my fingers down his chest as soon as the two got done arguing.

The flush was starting to go away, now. "Eet ees time for the varm-oops."

"_What_?" I gasped, looking down at my watch. "Oh my God, its already three o'clock!" I quickly scrambled up from his lap, blushing as I pulled my tight skirt back down around my thighs. I hurried and threw back on my jacket and my shoes, looking into a mirror to see if I was presentable or not. I really wasn't. I was flushed, my eyes were wide and sparkling, and my lips were puffy and slightly bruised. "_Damn_!" I muttered a few spells to help clear away the redness and return my lips to their normal state. I couldn't do anything about my eyes, but everything else was presentable.

Viktor, on the other hand, looked perfectly fine, besides a merry glint in his eyes as well. He grabbed me around the waist again and kissed me one last time before I tried to leave. "Slov," he said softly, sighing. "Slov."

"Slow," I agreed, leaning up to gently kiss his lips and savor him just a little while longer. _Very, very slow._

_**The Game**_

—_Hello, everyone, and welcome to the first game in the preseason between America and Bulgaria! This is your announcer for the evening, the United States Wizarding Olympic Committee chairwoman Alicia Noble, ready to serve your every Quidditch whim! And with me today, I have two-time winner of the World Cup and Attorney General of the Department of Wizarding Justice, Rene Nelson, or as most of you know her, Rene Reynolds! This is bound to be one hell of a match, Rene._

—_I have to agree, Alicia. Not only do we have the runner-up of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup here, but we've also got the finalist of the Northern Hemispheric Cup! If America had just won _one more _match, we would have been up there with Spain, Bulgaria, and Ireland. We've fought Spain and won three out of four times, but our Seekers are never up to snuff with Bulgaria, and with Ireland its always half-and-half. Sometimes I just want to be out there, going head-to-head against those young Irish rogues! I remember a time when America _never_ lost to them._

—_That would be when you were on the team. But you've got to hand it over some time, Rene! Speaking of, isn't your daughter a referee tonight? _

—_You're correct in that assumption, Alicia. She's out there right now, circling the field, making sure that all of the wards are in place. She's recently gotten her Referee License, and let me tell you, it isn't easy to get._

—_Our three other referees are Sam Smirthwick from the United States Wizarding Olympic Committee, and Anton Anzhelo and Radomir Momchil from the Bulgarian Quidditch Department. Sam will be releasing the balls._

—_It looks to be a full house today, Alicia. Americans can't wait to see the new American team with their new manager take down a team they haven't been able to beat in over a decade! I have a feeling that today will be that day!_

—_Its now time for the game to start! And, flying out for the Americans, we have Chasers Gianni Fedele, Debbie Muntz, and Robert Green, three of the best Chasers I've seen since Rene's time on the team! Next out is Beater Greg Ruczinski, and I'm sure Russia is dreading ever letting this guy go. Then is Troy Duvall, lady's man and Beater. Here comes Keeper Ralph Heidelberger, ready to stop Bulgaria dead in its tracks! Runner-up Seeker Ariel Singleton is coming out of the bowls of the stadium now. And last but not least, Amercia, stand up and cheer for you very own Seeker, Maximus Brankovitch the Third, who's caught every snitch in every game _but_ with Bulgaria! _

—_As if he needs to be reminded of that, Alicia._

—_It doesn't hurt to rub the salt in the wound when needed, Rene._

—_Right. And now, on Bulgaria's side we've got Chasers Clara Ivanova, Vasily Dimitrov, and Alexei Levski, the rascal. Here comes Ivan Volkov, one of the best Beaters I've seen since Ludovic Bagman for the Wimbourne Wasps, and Pyotr Vulchanov, a replacement for last year's Beater who let a Bludger get through to Viktor Krum, thus breaking his nose. Here comes Keeper Lev Zograf, and finally, the moment I know almost every person in this stadium has been waiting for, here's Viktor Krum, Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! Look at him fly!_

—_I've never heard the crowd so loud out there, Rene!_

—_And now I think we're ready! Will everyone please rise and take off their hats for the singing of the National Anthem?_

_**Leigh Ann**_

I stepped up to the center circle of the pitch, giving my wand a flick and saying _Sonorus!_ All eyes were on me, and everyone was quiet now that Viktor had been shown and all of the players were on the ground. The stadium was filled to the brim, people were practically overflowing. It made me smile as I watched the vendors working their ways across the stands, selling what I called "Uncle Sam" hats and sparklers and mini figurines of people and posters and everything! I knew that I was missing being in the stands, but there was no greater feeling than being on the field.

I took a deep breath, opened my mouth, and...

"_Oh say can you see, by the dawns early light? What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming. Who's broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming..."_ My voice wasn't perfect, like, say, my sister's. But it was pleasant. Low and husky, and I could say that I had perfect pitch. _"And the rockets' red glare! The bombs bursting in air! Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave? O'er the land of the free! And the home of the brave!_"

I met Viktor's eyes as I mounted my broom again, as the crowd went wild, and his face was confused, his jaw not together. _Better close your mouth, sweets, or you'll catch a fly._

He mouthed something to me that looked like, "You never told me you could sing."

I simply mouthed back, "You never asked."

_**The Game**_

I looked through the crowd, watching the other referees and the players, making sure that all would be fair. The game was going good so far, 30 to 20, America in the lead. Both Viktor and Maximus were equally matched, although Maximus looked much to tense. Viktor was like a hawk, while Maximus acted like the prey instead of the hunter. So far there'd only been one foul, and it'd been against Pyotr Vulchanov. It was _Flacking_, defending the goals from behind. It'd been an accident, but there you go. That's when we'd gotten ahead.

Viktor and Maximus continually tried to feint finding the Snitch, as to catch it, but neither of them would find it for a long time. I'd seen it twice so far—once when it'd been released, and the other time when it had been right between my eyes and Viktor had flown directly at me.

I concentrated on the Bulgarians. They came very, very close to fouling, but never actually fouled. I bet myself a million dollars that Pyotr would get in a _lot _of trouble after the game was over. And then I saw another foul, and I blew my whistle, crying, "**Blatching, Robert Green to Alexei Levski. Penalty shot, Bulgaria.**" You could bet that many, many people were upset with me for this. But Robert had been flying towards Alexei with intent to collide. In other words, Blatching.

Shortly afterwards, that was when I felt a little tingle, and my necklace felt hot against my skin. I ignored it, until my broom made a slight jerk beneath me.

_That's strange, there's no wind tonight, _I thought, trying to ignore my racing heart. It was difficult being panicked and trying to keep up with fourteen players flying at over 70 miles an hour. ONE OF MY BIGGEST FEARS WAS OBVIOUSLY FALLING FROM MY BROOMSTICK. So when my brook jerked underneath me again, I gave a little cry of fright. Unfortunately, _Sonorus_ was on the referees, and it echoed around. All eyes turned to me. The broom took another tug, and it was three times as strong. Alicia cried, "And there appears to be a problem with Nelson's broom!"

My mom called, "Broom-pocking!" This was an obvious tampering of the broom, which was obviously happening.

It started bucking like a wild stallion, and I held on for dear life. Colors swirled before my eyes. "It's jinxed!" I cried, wrapping my legs around it as hard as I could, watching as everything turned upside down. I was suddenly hanging on by one hand. The crowd started screaming, pointing, crying out. _Well, you have no idea how _I_ feel!_

The other referees were trying to help, and I noticed that Viktor looked torn between the game and making sure I was safe. I tried to keep my eyes open, tried to get back onto the broom, but every time I moved or someone came close, the broom jerked again. "K-keep playing!" I cried out in fear, and all the pandimonium made my head hurt, my fingers were aching, and I couldn't hold on for much longer. "Keep playing, damn it!"

Viktor still seemed as if he couldn't make up his mind.

The broom gave one last jerk, and I fell from my seven-story high-position, only to land on something hard and cold, not soft and wet. I was on the floor of a dark room, and everything was grey. I tried to get up, but it still felt as if I had fallen all that way from my broomstick, and I hurt all over. I looked up, trying to find out where I was, when two dark feet came into my vision.

"Filth," came a dark, familiar voice. "Nothing but filth."

I was instantly starting to panic. "Wh-who are you? Where am I? Tell me this instant!"

"You, my dear, are in the headquarters of the Pureblood, of the Order. _Accio wand._" My wand was pulled out from under my sleeve. I made a desperate dash for it, but my ribs and back ached, and I rolled over with a moan. "You are nothing but _filth_."

"You've said that," I gasped, and the man slowly stepped into the light. I gasped as I saw one of my own teachers, Rear Admiral Lucas Boyle, standing there, his white hair holding little brown, his black eyes holding no mercy. "What are you—?"

"The filth of the world must be cleaned, Leigh Ann. You were perhaps a good student. You never cared, though, not as much as your sister, or as much as the other purebloods in the Navy, or those in the Marines."

I was so confused. I was looking into the face of my teacher, but he was crazed, infuriated. And I had no idea what he was talking about! The Marines may have been mostly pureblood, but they didn't care about studies! And why the hell was he calling me filth? "I'm half pure, Sir, I—"

"Therefore you _aren't_ pure. Henceforth you must be dealt with."

"_What—?"_

"Silence, filth! I will not have you speaking to me in such a way. Be prepared for the worst last days of your miserable life. You're going to tell me everything you know about the American and English Ministries of Magics, do you understand me?"

"Or _what_?" I demanded, trying to distract him until I had enough energy to jump over to my wand.

"You will barely be alive by the time I'm done torturing you."

I smirked. "I'd like to see you try." _One...two...THREE!_

"CRUCIO!"

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**And NOW the plot thickens!**

She felt her arm lifting, felt his influence was over her. "...C..."

His voice became stronger. "Say it, Jessica."

Her arm was shaking, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. It took a moment, but she said it. "...Crucio." The girl on the floor, her sister, gasped and turned over, shuddering in her unconsciousness. It hurt to see it, but it had to be done.

Her mentor grabbed her arm and steadied it, squeezing just hard enough not to break her arm. "Say it like you mean it!" he shouted, creating a heat of magic around them that put a fire into the girl.

"CRUCIO!"

The screams that Leigh Ann made would forever be burned into Jessica Nelson's memory.


	29. The Search for Leigh Ann

**This chapter was sooo hard to write! Tell me what you think? **

****ATTENTION!****

**I just got a part-time job! My writing time will be severly limited! I've got about four or five chapters written ahead of time, but how long the rest will be...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Viktor Krum. I do own Leigh Ann, though, and all of her family!**

_**July Fifth, eleven o'clock p.m.**_

The room was dark, feelings of loathing and spite running throughout the walls. Nothing was in light, and fires burned throughout the Muggle town surrounding it. The sounds of screams rang, making her sick. She wanted to run, but she was already in to her neck, she couldn't pull out now, they'd kill her.

"I don't think that I can do this." Her sister was lying on the ground, barely conscious. Just looking at her made the girl sick.

A man, her mentor, stepped out of the shadows. His thick hair was full of white and a slight amount of brown, and his dark, almost black eyes were held in a sick smirk. His black robes made him swallow and sickly-looking. "You have to, or you'll be a traitor to Our cause and your family will never be safe from Us."

"What do you mean, my family will never be safe?" the girl shouted, throwing her arms around, running her hands through her hair. "I'm looking at a part of it right now!"

"The Order needs to know that We can trust you." He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently rubbing the tension out of her shoulders. She knew that he could snap her like a twig if he had the mind to.

"If my own _family_ can't trust me, how can you?" Tears sprang to her eyes, but she made them disappear. Any sign of weakness was another reason she could be killed. Death was always surrounding her.

He squeezed her shoulders, letting her go. "Either you do it, or I'll do it."

"She's my _sister_." The girl felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest, and she turned away from the unconscious girl on the floor, and her mentor standing over her.

She knew that her mentor was frowning. "Jessica, you won't be a part of the Order, of Our perfect society, until you prove that you will do anything to rid the world of Muggle filth. You are lucky you are able to look upon one such as me, with that filth in your bloodstream. You do want to clean first the United States, then the world, don't you?"

She hated everything to do with Muggles, and hated Muggle-borns who stole her powers away. As a witch, they were rightfully hers. And she may have loved her father in her heart, but in her mind he _ruined_ their family. "I...I do."

"Then say it."

She felt her arm lifting, felt his influence was over her. "...C..."

His voice became stronger. "Say it, Jessica."

Her arm was shaking, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. It took a moment, but she said it. "...Crucio." The girl on the floor, her sister, gasped and turned over, shuddering in her unconsciousness. It hurt to see it, but it had to be done.

Her mentor grabbed her arm and steadied it, squeezing just hard enough not to break her arm. "Say it like you mean it!" he shouted, creating a heat of magic around them that put a fire into the girl.

"CRUCIO!"

The screams that Leigh Ann made would forever be burned into Jessica Nelson's memory.

_**July Sixteenth, six o'clock p.m.**_

"Viktor, sweetheart, you need to rest."

"He should say the same for you, Mom."

Rene turned her tired eyes onto her son, her exhaustion making her anxious and angry. She wanted to strangle him, cry against his shoulder, and fall asleep on said shoulder all at the same time. She'd been up for three days straight, and before the eighteen-hour sleep the day before the three days, she'd been up for _another _three days.

It'd been a week and a day, and they still hadn't found her daughter.

Viktor had kept almost the same schedule, only once pulling a four-day run. They'd checked everywhere they could think of; England's Ministry, Viktor's Bulgarian contacts, and as Rene had all of the contacts in the world in America, but there was nothing. By now the world knew of Leigh Ann's disappearance during the Bulgaria versus America game, and it was becoming a big hype. Bill Weasley, in Egypt, was looking everywhere he thought to look, and Charlie was doing the same at his Dragon Reserve. Molly didn't even take a breath when she heard the news before she was searching on foot.

"I vill noot rest oonteel I find her," Viktor said in mixed English and Bulgarian. Rene could understand a little bit of Bulgarian, but now that both of them were so exhausted, they were getting mixed up with their second languages. "I had her...een my hands. I had her, and she vaneeshed."

"Believe me, Viktor, I wasn't too far behind you," Rene said with a small sob before she sobered herself. _I can't become distressed. I've gotta keep looking up, I'll find her. I always do._ Rene remembered the time when Anna was seven, when she had gotten her first real broom, and she'd run off. She'd been gone for almost eighteen hours before she'd come back, claiming she'd gone to Alex's house for dinner. Rene's heart had burst out of her chest.

But this wasn't a measly eighteen hours. This was a week and a day, almost two. And if she didn't find her baby, there would be hell to pay.

"I've got something!" came Jessica's voice from the other room, where she'd been using a computer to try and track something. Rene, Jason, and Viktor moved as fast as they could with how tired they were. Jessica was reading off the description as they went into the computer room. "...one female suspect, two men, seen walking out of an abandoned house. Female screams could be heard one Monday night, but when police officers arrived at the scene, no evidence could be found."

"That could be anything," Jason groaned, but he was already leaving. He'd been to about twenty of these police report sites so far, but nothing had come up.

"I have a feeling that this one is right," Jessica said, and even Rene's perfect little daughter was exhausted, big black bags under her eyes. "I know that Anna is there."

"Jason," Rene said, seeing the determination in her daughter's eyes, "take Viktor with you."

Jason looked as if he'd rather eat a horse's rear end, but he obliged his mother's wishes. "Come on, Viktor. Let's find my sister."

_**Viktor Krum**_

Being awake for three days straight and sitting on a broomstick was not Viktor's cup of tea, but he was about to do anything to get Leigh Ann back. He could only imagine what horrors she was going through, what dark wizards had captured her. If this had anything to do with his work in Bulgaria...

Viktor had to shake his head and dodge out of the way of a tree that had been in his path. Both he and Jason were flying around California's coast after taking a port-key, and they were about ready to give up when they saw the house that had been described in Jessica's report. It was three stories high, in the middle of a Muggle suburb. Obviously it had been magically guarded, because none of the Muggles around it were paying any mind to the screams coming from inside. Viktor and Jason could hear them, though, and they quickly sat themselves on the ground and moved closer.

_It's__ her,_ Viktor thought with a small pang to his heart. Her soul-wrenching screams tore at him from every angle, and he felt sick inside. "Vhat do ve do?"

"We bust in there with all the might we can and we find my sister," Jason said through clenched teeth. If Viktor was ever put up against this man, he knew that he would lose if it involved his family. He was very glad not to be on the opposing side of his fury.

"No. Ve moost do this vith stealth."

"I'm going to tear up whoever did this to my sister, I—"

"_No_. Ve vill do this my vay. Ve do noot vant them to keel her."

Viktor pulled Jason out of the light and into the shadow of a Muggle house, making them submersed in darkness. He then cast a few spells about them to test the strength of the wards around the house, but there were barely any there.

"_Idiotilor_."

"_What?_"

"They are idiots."

"Oh. ...Why?"

"They half only put up silencing wards and Moogle-repellant. They vill noot knoo ve are cooming."

Jason held his wand up a little higher, a determined look spreading over his features. "What's the plan?"

"I vas joost going to use the back door."

"...Oh."

"Boot ve moost be quiet."

"No shit, Sherlock, I don't want my sister dead, alright?"

Viktor shushed his partner, moving slowly through the grass until they reached the back door of the modern-suburban dwelling. The back door was even open, as if they'd been expected, and Viktor didn't like it. But his magic didn't sense anything else awaiting them. So either they were dealing with a very powerful wizard, or the damn idiots didn't think that they'd ever be found.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Jason suddenly cried, and Viktor pointed in the same direction and cried, "_Stupify_!" thereby stunning whatever enemy Jason had attacked. They walked up to a small body on the floor, staring into dark blue eyes that narrowed whenever they approached. The man was small and half bald and smelled like alcohol.

"Vhere ees she?" Viktor asked menacingly, placing his foot in the stunned man's stomach.

"Why should I tell you?" the man asked, his mousy little eyes glaring up at the Quidditch player. "Search the house yourself, you miserable Bulgarian. I've had her around my little finger this entire time, oh, yes, and she was very good to me, oh yes she was—"

Viktor aimed one good kick at his ribs before Jason wiped the man's memory and knocked him out. "Let's keep going," Jason said through clenched teeth. They searched the rest of the seemingly-perfect house, at least until they heard sobbing down in the basement. "I have your back."

Viktor nodded and slowly moved down the stairs. It was dark, with only slight amounts of light in holsters along the edge of the damp walls. The sobbing got louder as a man yelled, "_Legimens!_" Viktor held up his hand behind him, signaling for Jason to stop.

Leigh Ann's voice called through the darkness, her voice shaking and full of instability, "_I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts. There they are just standing in a row…_"

"Damn girl," a man's voice growled, low and deep, "where is it?"

"_Big ones, small ones, ones as big as your head…_"

"She's not going to answer," said a woman's voice, disguised somehow with magic. "We've been at this for a week, we've gotten nothing. Give her a little more time to herself and she'll come around."

"Getting a little sentimental for the captive, Ensign?" Viktor looked back to Jason and mouthed, _"Ensign?"_

Jason's face only got stonier. _"Wait."_

"No, sir."

"Good. We have no need for that here."

"We have no need to _be_ here, sir. She has a better will than we expected. We need to break her down more, take away some more food and water, but not so much that we should kill her. We do need her, after all."

"We wouldn't need her at all if she'd just tell us what we need."

"Let's just go."

"I shouldn't have to listen to you, but yes, I agree." With two pops, both of them disappeared. To where, Viktor wasn't sure, but he really didn't care.

He slowly walked closer, casting a silent spell over his eyes that allowed him to see. He looked around the small room, seeing that no one was there. But then…

Viktor almost fell to his knees when he saw her. She was hurt, badly, but she was breathing. In fact, she looked like a cornered animal. Even after a week of what Viktor knew had been torture, she still was alive, still fighting. Her arms were black and blue from where they had tied her down, and she was wearing almost nothing. She was covered in dried blood, her hair burned and singed around her swollen face.

He quickly moved over to her, not able to speak in his emotion from seeing her. But the instant he got near her, her head snapped up, looking around the dark room, trying to figure out who he was. He got close and she lashed out, screaming bloody murder. Her nails raked down his skin, her knees and elbows catching him in different places. He knelt between her knees, holding her wrists in his hands, and whispered, "Leahn, eet ees me."

Leigh Ann suddenly stopped, and with the spell he'd used, he could see her eyes widening. She reached out, touching his face, letting her fingertips gently grace his cheeks and forehead and nose. A sob escaped her lips and she pulled him closer, as close as he could bet with the bonds around her, and they sat like that for a while.

"Viktor," he heard Jason's voice say from behind them, "we don't have much time."

He knew that, but he didn't want to have to move her, to make her hurt anymore. He wanted to wait for the male and female to come back so that he could murder them both slowly. But Leigh Ann's welfare came first. "You are alvight now," he said softly, using magic to break the chains, gently running his hands over her body. "You are safe."

"I'll n-n-never b-b-be s-s-safe," she gasped, trying to wrap her arms around him but failing, as they were so bruised. "V-Viktor, I'll n-n-never be safe. Th-they thought I knew something, but I don't, Viktor, a-and I-I'm trained against Veritaserum, you know that, a-and—"

**"I half you...I half you... _Hush..._"**

"Th-they'll never let me live, n-not now, n-no, I-I've got to g-g-go, they've g-got me—"

"I am here, they vill noot harm you again."

"Y-you've got to get out of here! H-he'll be back, and the girl—she was so horrible, V-Viktor! You've got t-to get out of here, before she comes back! Before _he_ comes back!"

Viktor held her close to his chest, letting a few tears come out before he knew that he had to get her out of that hell hole. "Leahn, everything vill be alright. I proomees."

* * *

**Awww! Tell me what you think? **

She looked forlorn, in the corner by herself, staring into the fire. She'd been like that ever since they'd brought her home. The bruises had started healing, the cuts had formed over, but the scars that she would have on the inside were worse than anything that could ever heal.

He walked over to her, sitting away from her on the couch. She didn't even turn to look at him. "Leahn...Leahn, I am leafing."

"Hm," she grunted, pulling up her legs and wrapping her arms around them. "Alright."

"Leahn, look at me?"

She shook her head, now covered in very, very short hair. They'd had to cut it to make it even, without all of the scorches or cuts that had filled it before. Now it was above her chin. "No. I just...I don't know what to tell you, Viktor."

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**The Search for Leigh Ann**


	30. The Other Parting of Ways

**Once again, another "Parting of Ways..."**

**This concludes Part II! I hope you enjoyed the double upload!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I just work at McDonalds.**

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The Parting of Ways

"I expect you to visit on Christmas Eve," Rene said strictly, straightening Viktor's collar and dusting the dust that wasn't there off of his shoulders. "Or Christmas Day, whichever your parents don't celebrate."

"Ve half three days olf Chreestmas, Meesees Neelsoon. First, Chreestmas Day, then—"

"What have I told you about calling me Rene?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow and poking him squarely in the chest. It would have been somewhat comical, seeing as she was a foot and a half shorter than him, if he had not known that she was a force to be reckoned with.

"I ahm soory, Reene. Boot as I vas saying, three days. The secoond day is the Day of the Father, boot also to celebrate the Virgeen Mary. And lastly, there is _Stefanovden_—err, Saint Stefan's Day."

"Oh," she said, confusion in those familiar hazel eyes of hers. "Well…you can still come over for Christmas Eve, right? I would love to meet your parents again."

"Oonly eef you come for our Chreestmas celebration," he said with a small smile, watching as her entire face lit up. "It ees my coondeetion."

"We would love to, Viktor, just make sure that your parents are alright with it. And if they are, then you will have to teach us a lot concerning your traditions. I wouldn't want to insult anyone."

"You vould never," he promised, taking her hand and squeezing it. "Goodbye, Rene. I vill see you again."

"Bye, Viktor. I'll leave you and Leigh Ann to say goodbye." And with that, they were alone.

She looked forlorn, in the corner by herself, staring into the fire. She'd been like that ever since they'd brought her home. The bruises had started healing, the cuts had formed over, but the scars that she would have on the inside were worse than anything that could ever heal.

He walked over to her, sitting away from her on the couch. She didn't even turn to look at him. "Leahn...Leahn, I am leafing."

"Hm," she grunted, pulling up her legs and wrapping her arms around them. "Alright."

"Leahn, look at me?"

She shook her head, now covered in very, very short hair. They'd had to cut it to make it even, without all of the scorches or cuts that had filled it before. Now it was above her chin. "No. I just...I don't know what to tell you, Viktor."

He gently touched her shoulder and he flinched. But he didn't pull away. "It vill take a vhile, loff, for you to vant to be around anyvone. Boot I vant you to look at me."

It took her a moment, but Leigh Ann turned to him with difficulty. Her entire face was full of fear and confusion, but now it didn't look so naive. Of course they'd asked her if they'd touched her in any way, but she said not in that way, and they'd left it at that. He could only imagine what pain was running through her mind. All he knew was that he wanted to help her. He...he loved her.

Vitkor moved his hand from her shoulder to her hand, Gently squeezing the bruised flesh so as not to hurt her. She flinched nonetheless. "I knoo that vhat happened...it vas bad."

"Understatement of the century," she whispered, trying to give a smile but failing.

"I just vant to say...I vill alvays be here for you. And vhen you start school, I vill alvays be close. If you need me...I vill be there. If you _vant_ me there."

She did smile now, her smile full of sadness, a haunted past. "I think that if you give me a little bit of time...I'll want you here. I really will. Perhaps by the end of the summer, I'll be ready to be a regular person again. I'm surrounded by friends and family, and I know that if I ever asked you to come to me, you would."

That had been the longest speech she'd given since they'd brought her back a week ago. "Vhen you fell, I tried to catch you."

"You didn't go for the Snitch?" she asked softly, her eyes suddenly looking into his, and they were sharp and ready to understand whatever he was about to say.

"No."

It took her a moment, but then she gently punched him in the arm. "I told you to go after the Snitch, idiot."

"I had you in my arms...and then you disappeared. You vere mooch, _mooch_ more eemportant than a Snitch." He gently brought his hand up to caress her cheek, running his thumb over a bruise. "Leahn, I..."

"Viktor," she said quickly, grasping his wrist and pulling his hand down.

"Yes?" he sighed.

"Tell me one thing. Its not big or anything."

"Olf course, loff."

She looked off into the fire, the corners of her lips turning up in the ghost of a smirk., before turning to him with a real smile "Who won the Quidditch match?"

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**I never noticed how short the chapter before this was, so I went ahead and uploaded this, too! This is the end of "Part II!"**

**Here's a look at Part III, at least the beginning...(:**

_"...You really plan to go through with this, then."_

"What else am I supposed to do? They've threatened my friends, my job...it won't be long until they come after my family! I can't sit around and do nothing while murderers get away. I can't let my unborn child be in danger."

_"Leigh Ann, these people are more trouble than you think they are. Anyone with Muggle blood down their line just needs to get out before they're targeted. And with Dad being so close to our Pureblood line, we're going to be the first targeted, to get us out of the way, to show everyone a lesson. We need to get out of here."_

"I'm not goin' anywhere. Not until these people are in Azkaban or GITMO where they belong."

_"You have no idea what you're talkin' about! They could show up anywhere, at the school, at America's Quidditch pitch, and just snatch you out of the air! Leigh Ann—"_

"Jessica, if you try to tell me that these people are dangerous one more time, I'm gonna slap you. I'm not gonna run at the first sight of danger. The damned Wizard KKK isn't enough to scare me away from everythin' I love, and neither are you, even if you are my sister."

_"...We warned you, just remember that. We warned you"_

**Part III, (the next chapter,) will be uploaded in two weeks! **


	31. The Beginning of the End

**Hey, everybody! Welcome back! Its been two weeks, and let me say, I'm exhausted! But I've managed to write a few chapters, raise my Trig grade, work, and go to school with an alright amount of sleep. My social life may be non-existent, but hey, we all have to make sacrifices.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Lets just say that I own a book or two...or seven... (:**

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**PART III**

**THE ACADEMY**

**The Beginning of the End**

"_...You really plan to go through with this, then."_

"What else am I supposed to do? They've threatened my friends, my job...it won't be long until they come after my family! I can't sit around and do nothing while murderers get away. I can't let my unborn child be in danger."

"_Leigh Ann, these people are more trouble than you think they are. Anyone with Muggle blood down their line just needs to get out before they're targeted. And with Dad being so close to our Pureblood line, we're going to be the first targeted, to get us out of the way, to show everyone a lesson. We need to get out of here."_

"I'm not goin' anywhere. Not until these people are in Azkaban or GITMO where they belong."

"_You have no idea what you're talkin' about! They could show up anywhere, at the school, at America's Quidditch pitch, and just snatch you out of the air! Leigh Ann—"_

"Jessica, if you try to tell me that these people are dangerous one more time, I'm gonna slap you. I'm not gonna run at the first sight of danger. The damned Wizard KKK isn't enough to scare me away from everythin' I love, and neither are you, even if you are my sister."

"_...We warned you, just remember that. We warned you"_

_**Leigh Ann Nelson  
**__**Monday, September 11, 1995  
**__**5:02 P.M.  
**__**Mess Hall**_

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for witch it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, for Liberty and Justice for all."

I ran my hands over my dress skirt before I sat down, looking happily at all of the new recruits. There were maybe fifty over all, each of them dressed in PT clothes, as they hadn't gotten their uniforms yet—of course, they hadn't gotten their Branch yet, either. Little Anni Sampson, sister of one of my good friends, Rebecca, was standing up there, wide-eyed and ready to go, next to all of the other children her age.

The mess hall was filled to capacity, its white walls and floor shining as if they had just been washed, which I was sure that they had. The four, long, stainless steel tables had been charmed to make them more comfortable, though comfort was hardly on our minds; the food hadn't appeared yet to make us all want to eat and pull all of it on our mess kits.

People stared, of course. They always stared when they hadn't seen the new do. I still wasn't used to it, and it itched. But hey, what could you do? I used to have long, thick hair that had been put up into a stern bun all the time, but with things that had happened over the summer...well, let's just say that now it was short and stacked. I was still on edge, still jittery. Every time someone bumped into my arm, I'd freak and pull my wand. Then I'd have to apologize because I'd scared some little second year and they'd started crying. It was all very, very tiring.

Sorting went quickly, most of the children going into the Navy, actually. The second most went into the Army, while the Marines and Air Force got the least. Once it was over, I heard the all-too-familiar voice.

"Attention."

Ah, the old attention. I stood up, as did the rest of the room, and stood at attention.

The General made his way slowly through the rows, his eyes meeting mine for only a second before he smiled and turned to face the entire school. "Students, champions," he started off on his monologue, "welcome back to another year at the American Academy of Magic. As you all know, last year, we were invited to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Some of you may or may not know that our own _First _Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson of the Army became Champion. At the end, she was tied in second, before being attacked with the Crucio Curse by one of the other Champions, who was under the Imperious Curse."

There was a smattering of gasps before he silenced the room and continued.

"As such, Leigh Ann proved herself beyond anything we came to expect. And she has been rewarded with this trophy, which will sit itself in our trophy room until long after we are gone from this school."

My eyes widened at this statement, and at the large golden shield which was being carried between the two tables. Alex, my best friend, nudged me in the side, as did Mary, another good friend. I couldn't do anything but stare in awe as the shield, embossed with a large and elegant _TW T_ and many words underneath, was hung behind the teacher's table. I hadn't noticed before, but one teacher was missing.

"Leigh Ann, please come forwards to get your Purple Heart."

Shock. That was the word. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, and I definitely couldn't walk up the pathway. Alex, noticing my state, nudged me hard in the side with her wand.

I gave her an annoyed look before shakily making my way over to the podium. The General's ice blue eyes were crinkling with a smile, as were the green eyes of Major General Leah Sampson. I shook hands with both of them before he pinned the beautiful medal onto my uniform. The entire room started off in a soft clapping, before it extended into the most boisterous applause that I had ever heard.

Tears came to my eyes, but I held them back as I turned back around to face the rest of the students. They all started to blur, though, and I quickly made my way back to the Army seats.

Alex gave me a hug as soon as I stood next to her, though we quickly went back to standing at attention. The General went on about the Tournament, and my "glorious" highlights of it, of Harry Potter, of Viktor Krum (which got a few giggles and excited HOOAH!s) of Cedric Diggory, and of Fleur Delacour. Of the First Task, the Second, and the Third. Most of us didn't have to listen, though, because those of us had gone.

"So let's give one more round of applause to our Champion, Leigh Ann Nelson."

I was almost crying by now, so much that I couldn't see anything. I had to blink, look up to the lights, and take many deep breaths before they all spilled over.

"Thank you, Leigh Ann, for participating for our school. Now, for the Naming of the Officers." There was a cry of happiness. "When your Leading Officer calls your name, Fifth Years, I want you to step up." I knew that Jessica, my little sister in the Navy, would become an Officer like her brother and I. It was obvious.

Lieutenant General Charles McCoy, leader of the Marines and teacher of Transfiguration, stepped up, his eyes a steely grey, like his hair. Everything on him was perfect. "Second Lieutenant Phillip Williams."

A loud roar went up from the soldiers standing around the table, and a short, bulky blonde man stood up from the Marines and strutted proudly towards the podium, to have his Sergeant insignia ripped off and instantly replaced with the single gold bar of a Second Lieutenant.

Major General Brittany Premont stepped up. She was the Leading Officer for the Air Force, her light, sparkling eyes filled with laughter like most of its occupants. Almost everyone in the Air Force could tell a joke that would make you roll, and were the nicest out of everyone. Not to mention that they kicked ass in Quidditch. "Second Lieutenant Amanda Peterson."

"HUA!" The entire table burst out in intense cheering, someone yelling something that made them laugh. The tall, naturally pretty blonde went up, got her Staff Sergeant insignia ripped off and replaced with the single gold bar on her lapel.

Rear Admiral Lucas Boyle, Leading Officer of the Navy and teacher of Arithmancy, was no longer here, as of what I had figured out about him and his torturing me and countless other wizards and witches who weren't pureblood. He was in GITMO, (Guantanamo Bay,) or some other Azkaban equivalent. So the General stepped up for him. I could feel a cold sweat on the back of my neck. My eyes met with Jason's, (my brother,) then Jessica's, and she looked like a hawk ready to swoop down on her pray. The General slowly and surely called out, "Ensign Jessica Nelson."

My sister smirked and started walking up to the podium with the grace and cockiness of a Marine, not a Naval Officer. Her Petty Officer Second Class insignia was ripped from his suit and replaced with the single gold bar of an Ensign, and she was given her gold stripes to put on later.

Then, as Jessica was walking back with a very cocky look on her face, Major General Leah Sampson, my Leading Officer and teacher of Potions, stepped up, tucking in her already-perfect bun, trying to fix her already-perfect skirt. Then, looking at everyone at the table directly in the eyes, she announced, "Second Lieutenant Alana O'Mally."

The tall, elegant brunette walked with dignity up to the front podium, shaking hands with our Leading Officer, and getting her Sergeant insignia ripped off. She pinned the Second Lieutenant pins on her lapel and sent the almost model-like girl on her way. I was slightly jealous of her almost perfect figure, but then shook my head. She was a part of my squadron now, so I had to live with it. I could probably outrun her any day. Hell, I probably weighed twice as much as her. What was she, a dollar ten? Just a dollar?

The Headmaster stood back up at the podium, his melting blue eyes meeting with each and every student before he continued. "You all know your duties. You all know that you have privileges, as well, but your rank can quickly be taken away. Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Year Officers may be quickly bunked down to E-1 if I so choose it."

"Yes, General!" came the cry from all of the students, except the newbies who came in a few seconds late. It was all quite comical, even though I knew that I had been the same way my first year.

"Now, for the yearly announcements. Ad ease, students. Fall out." We all sighed happily, sitting down and relaxing, ready for the next year at school. "The lake is still off-limits, unless for Marines or Navy SEAL operatives. Professor Willowed will—"

The doors suddenly burst open in the back, and I knew exactly why there was an empty seat up front—we had a new teacher!

Everyone turned around to see who had come in the door. I couldn't see anything, as many people were blocking my way, but from the gasps it seemed as if this new teacher was something to look at.

"Sir, I would expect you to be on time from now on," the General said disapprovingly, irately tapping his fingers on the eagle podium.

"Sorry," came a scarily familiar low, tenor voice, "portkey, it not vork on time."

"Holy shit," I gasped at the same time as Alex. We looked at each other before I turned to see him strutting down the walkway between the Army and Navy tables. Justin gave the man a high-five, though he just walked straight up to the General and shook hands with him.

He was wearing thin robes of deep red, more like the everyday robes that were out in the Wizarding world than his Durmstrang robes. Underneath he wore a button-up black shirt that looked vaguely familiar, and tan straight-legged khakis. The Durmstrang belt that I'd seen many-a-time was holding them up. He didn't look any different, except that maybe he was slightly trimmer in the waist and more bulky in the arms, and his stubble was trimmed up more than it was during the Quidditch season.

"Students," the General said, turning the man around, "meet your new First and Second Year flying teacher, Quidditch referee, and Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Viktor Krum."

_**Viktor Krum  
**__**5:10 P.M.  
**__**Mess Hall**_

She was angry.

Oh, yes. She was _furious_. He could tell by the way her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. By the way she set her jaw so that she could touch her tongue to one back molar. He wanted to wave, but then again, not many people knew that they were together, or the fact that they knew each other. So he thought better of waving. At least Jason looked happy to see him.

He sat down next to a teacher who reminded him of a certain curvy woman, but was taller and thinner, with many more years of experience in her dark green eyes. The name on her uniform said "Sampson," and the beginnings of grey in her hair betrayed her age.

"As I was saying," the General said, giving Viktor a dirty eye, "the lake is still off-limits, unless for Marines or Navy SEAL operatives. Professor Willowed, with the help of the Navy deep divers, will try to evacuate them. In other news… Last year, while the majority of our school was gone, some First through Fourth Year students were promoted to special Officer titles, and these titles will not be taken away as such. Instead, these students will be named the Special Forces."

A loud roar went up through the younger and Ninth ranks, making the ones who hadn't been at school laugh. Though the laughing quickly stopped whenever green berets appeared in the air, landing on the heads of said younger students.

Viktor watched as Leigh Ann stood up first, clapping her hands together slowly, until everyone else stood up and clapped their hands as well.

He wondered if he could ever get over looking at her. He missed that long, thick hair which had been replaced by this shoulder-length in the front, short and stacked in the back hairstyle which he did _not_ like. She was very tan from this summer, almost too dark, and seemed a little thinner. He would have to have a talk with her about eating as much as she needed to. (Or as much as he wanted her to.)

The assembly sat back down, and the General started to speak again about school happenings. As he didn't know what normally went on in the place, all of this was new to him.

He'd already been shown his room by a very friendly and well-dressed house elf, which had been on the second floor and needed a password and "wand scan" to get in. This week, his password was "Plangentine," and he had to say it to the tapestry on the third floor, second hallway, halfway down the hall.

The room itself was obviously made to suit him, what with the large fireplace, the wing-backed chairs, and the four-postered bed with silks and furs. He had to admit that the large brown bear fur on the floor was a little much, but it worked.

"Well, students, this year will be normal. After the plates are cleared once more, wands will be turned in." A loud groan could be heard, as well as a few protests. The General did not continue until all was quiet. "Hell Week will start early tomorrow morning. So, enjoy!"

Food instantly appeared in front of them, and the clattering of feet, trays, and silverware filled the entire white hall. Viktor barely ate, sitting there, watching her.

"She looks different, doesn't she, Professor Krum?" came a soft voice from next to him.

Viktor looked into the dark eyes of this "Sampson" woman, who was addressing him. "Call me Viktor, please. And…she?"

The woman smiled, the knowledge in her eyes growing. She took a dainty bite before continuing. "The First Lieutenant. I noticed that she isn't quite the same since her little adventure over in England. You wouldn't know anything about this, though, would you."

_This woman sees everything._ "She is a vonderfool voman."

"She seemed surprised that you were here."

"Deed she?"

"You can't fool me, Viktor. I see everything in this school. I _know_ everything in this school. And I don't believe that our little Leigh Ann is going to enjoy your being here."

He tried to search for something to say, anything, but the one thing that he thought, she instantly shot down.

"Don't play the, _'I need a job'_ card with me. _I_ needed the job and still do. You, on the other hand, are a Quidditch star, who in no terms needs the money." She picked up what looked to be a cup of very dark coffee and took a very long sip. "There are no secrets in my school."

"_Your _school?" Viktor was pretty sure that a school of magic was the Headmaster's school.

She smirked and hid her face in shadow. "I'm second in command here, no matter what those Marines say. My rank may be Major General, but I am directly under the General. Therefore, it is 'my school.'"

"I vill noot crooss you, if that is vhat you theenk."

She shook her head, making the beret on her head slip and reveal more grey in her plain brown hair. "I wasn't expecting you to, Viktor. I just wanted you to know that I know everything that there is to know and more about this school, including what goes on in the lives of my students. I'm not blind, and neither are the students or other teachers. If you decide to do something, do it discretely."

Viktor felt flushed, and he quickly turned his face away from her to pick at his food once more. "I do noot theenk you oonderstand our relationship."

"You're both teenagers. I understand enough. Just because I'm old doesn't mean I wasn't one."

Damn, this woman could read minds! But if she really could, then she would know that nothing had happened between them, and that nothing _would_ happen between them. They had promised each other long ago that they would have to wait. "I deed noot mean to eensoolt you. I vas merely trying to say that Leahn and I half noot done anything, nor vill ve."

"If that's what you say, then I guess that I have to believe you. Now, I know you're wondering what Hell Week is…"

_**Leigh Ann Nelson  
**__**6:30 P.M.  
**__**Classroom 7A  
**__**Army Wand Drop-off**_

I handed my wand in to the Ninth Year Officer, who turned out to be my brother, who was giving me a knowing look. Either steam was coming out of my ears, or he knew me too well.

"See you back at Quarters?" he asked, raising one thick black eyebrow. His ice blue eyes pierced me through, but I wasn't going to give.

"If I don't plan to go out and kill someone, yes," I muttered angrily, grabbing Alex's arm and pulling her along.

"Oh, come on, Leigh," Alex whined, trying to stop my raging fury. "So he wanted to surprise you, big deal! I would have been touched."

"With a hint of dementia."

Alex then hit me on the back of the head with what felt like her beret. "I'm going to make your life a living hell if you keep acting like this."

"Next week _is_ goin' to be a living hell, Alex, and there's nothin' you can do to make it worse." I rubbed a hand over my eyes, knowing that I needed to get to the Officer meeting before I worried about Viktor any longer. "Listen, I've gotta go. I'll see you in our bunk."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she said warningly.

"And that would be?" I muttered under my breath, feeling bad if she had heard me. I shook my head and headed off after the Air Force Officers, as they were almost always the last to an Officer meeting. Now, I would be.

The halls were as pristine as I remembered them, stainless steel and impeccable granite flooring, pictures and newspaper clippings of famous military feats up on the walls. Some of them were Wizard pictures, meaning that they moved, and some were just Muggle. It was refreshing to see them after Hogwarts's endless stream of moving pictures. There was a picture of World War I, where Russian troops were in a trench, waiting for a German attack. Most people didn't know that most of the Russians and Europeans were wizards, and that was a part of the reason that the war started. Something about the Germans trying to kill off wizards? I don't know, it'd been a while since my last Wizarding History class.

I almost ran into one of the upper Air Force Officers when they stopped to go into the Officer's Meeting room. _Gotta get my head on straight,_ I thought as we all went into the room and I sat down in the First Lieutenant seat for the Army.

It took a few moments to get the Air Force Officers to sit down, but after they did, the General stood up and addressed us all. "Officers, I need you to discuss the new teacher, arrangements for extra Navy students, and the three dances this year."

The Ninth Year Naval Officer, Jeremy Summers, stood up and announced that the World War I battleship that the Navy had reconstructed last year contained enough room for the fifty new recruits.

"Leigh Ann," the General said next, "you're in charge of the new teacher."

I had to control myself not to cry out a profanity at the old man. Instead, I stood up, set my jaw, and tried to calmly explain to him why I couldn't. "Sir, I'm afraid that if I see the man, I'm goin' to kill him."

One of the Marines, probably Perseus Homer, Eighth Year Officer, laughed and slugged me on the back. "Got a problem with the Seeker still, Nelson?"

The glare I sent him and his dark good looks shut him up quickly. "I don't believe it would be a good idea. Sir."

"You're good friends, First Lieutenant," the General said with a smile on his face, but something threatening in his eyes. "I'm not making a suggestion, but an order."

"_Sir_—" I begged, but he interrupted me.

"Not another word, Nelson. Sit down."

I gave a _humph _and sat down. Clamping my teeth so that I didn't snap something. Perseus was chuckling under his breath. I wished that I had my wand—or knew wandless magic—so that I could hex his bright blue eyes on the spot.

The talks of Prom, Homecoming, and the Winter Formal were abound, and some Ninth Year idiot—most likely my brother—came up with the idea of a 50's theme. There was also some talk about schedules for rounds, and the fact that none of us would have near as much sleep as we needed to have for tomorrow, it wasn't taken lightly that we had to pick people, even for tonight.

The meeting quickly finished, and I couldn't help but sigh that now I had to go to the new _Professor_ and give him his schedule, explain to him about the Sphinx that guarded the Navy docks, the Thestral that guarded the Army barracks, the Kappa protecting the Marine lodges, and the Re'em that protected the Air Force hanger.

I sighed, rubbing my face to bring some color back to it before I had to find him. I had to find his tapestry and say the password, complete with wandscan to show that I'd been there and I was legit.

I mumbled "Plangentine" and the tapestry became permeable. I stepped through, ready to chew my boyfriend out, when I saw Viktor sitting in front of the fire, in one of the two plushy chairs.

Leading Officer Lieutenant General McCoy was in the other one.

"Oh," I said, feeling myself curse at my own short temper as the LGLO turn towards me.

"First Lieutenant," McCoy said, his eyebrows raised. "What are you doing here?"

I blushed deeply, standing with my legs apart, hands behind my back, back straight. "It's my duty to inform the new Professor on the protectors, give him his schedule, and inform him of the everyday life of the school, sir."

The intimidating man stood up, straightening his Marines uniform and running a hand through that salt-and-pepper hair. "I'll leave you to that, then." He saluted me. "Good night, Lieutenant."

"Good night, sir," I said, making sure not to look him in the eyes, else wise he'd see my anger. I saluted back. "Before you leave, I ought to say that the Marines have rounds tonight."

"Of course," he growled, narrowing those harsh ice blue eyes. "Always the Marines. Well, hurry up and get back to your barrack, Lieutenant." He then exited through the permeable "door," leaving Viktor and I alone.

I turned around, ready to scream, yell, and cause general mayhem, but he pulled me into one of the gentlest hugs that I had ever felt. Instantly I felt as if I was the most horrible person in the world.

"I half missed you," he whispered into my hair. He then pushed us apart only slightly, looking into my eyes. "And I am soory." He still looked the same, his thin dark hair just a slight bit longer, curling only slightly, and his dark brown eyes filled with nothing but emotion for me.

I sighed and put my head on his chest, which I had forgotten had been so muscular and comforting. "Why are you here?"

He started rubbing his hands up and down my back, letting his lips alight on my temple. "I could noot bear being avay froom you. Your Defeence Against the Dark Arts teacher, she vas pregnant, yes? So, no teacher. And so I thought, vhy noot apply? And you half noot had a flying teacher in years. And I am a good flying teacher, yes?" He smiled down to me.

"Yeah, I guess you are," I sighed, pulling away, feeling slightly cold without his arms around me.

"I alsoo vanted to be here, een case...your nighmares, they coome back?"

I shook my head, but I knew that he could tell that I was lying. "Haven't had one in at least two weeks." Then I sighed and looked him directly in the eyes. "But you can't be here, Viktor. You're jealous enough, what will happen when I talk to my friends, or I'm practicing magic with a male classmate? I'm in quite a few plays, and in them I'm the main heroine. I could have to kiss some guy."

Viktor smirked, using his fist to pick up my chin, placing a chaste kiss against the corner of my lips. "I vill control myself." But I could tell that the last part upset him

"Viktor…" I sighed, placing my forehead against his, gently kissing him, trying to forget at how angry I was with him. "It won't...it won't w..."

His lips started searching mine, gently tracing my own, begging for forgiveness. I couldn't help but fall into the gentleness, to place my hands on his chest and let him kiss me as if this were our first and last kiss. He started whispering Bulgarian words into our kiss, making me smile. I was so comfortable around him, I felt safe and I couldn't understand all of a sudden why I had been so angry.

He pulled me closer, asking permission to enter, and I couldn't help but part my lips. I slowly opened myself to him, wondering at how rough the texture of his lips was, how warm they were, but how gentle they could be. He kissed me slightly harder, gently flickering his tongue against my lower lip, and blood boiled under my skin. I couldn't help but lean into him, wrap my arms around his neck and push myself up against him.

Viktor groaned from deep in his chest, letting his hands wander down, cupping my backside and pulling me up, rocking my hips against the bulge forming in his pants.

I gasped and pulled away, taking deep breaths to calm my beating heart. He attached his lips to my soft spot under my chin, sucking, arousing me.

"V-Viktor," I gasped, squirming against him. He gave a soft grunt, gently nipping at my skin, letting his tongue run over the edge of my jaw. "Viktor, st-stop."

He slowly pulled away from me, placing three more long kisses on my lips before finally looking me in the eyes. "Vhat ees eet, loff?"

"There's a problem, with us, with this school," I said, gently cupping his face, forcing him to concentrate.

He looked slightly stricken. "There ees a prooblem vith us?"

"With us in the _school_." I sighed, gently running my fingers over the small amount of stubble on his face. It was perhaps the thing I loved most, that stubble. "Teachers and students can't be together."

Viktor looked as though he hadn't thought of that. "I…ve vill keep eet a secret."

I raised an eyebrow, wondering if he had missed anything at dinner. "Every single teacher has eyes in the back of their heads at this school. If you show _any_ biased attitude towards me at all, they'll be on us in a second."

He kissed me again, slower, more thoroughly. Maybe he was just trying to distract me, or convince me that we could be together in secret, but my brain was wiped clear. "Ve vill find a vay."

_I sure do hope so,_ I thought as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing myself against his body. _I really do._

"I vill be here for you," he whispered into my hair, hugging me gently to him. "I vill be."

* * *

**And, once again, our favorite couple gets back together, even if one of them really doesn't see the good that can come out of it! Whaddya think? Don't forget that little review button!**

**Here's a look at the next chapter~**

"_Pain is your friend, your ally. It will tell you when you are seriously injured. It will keep you awake and angry and remind you to finish the job and get the hell home. But you know the best thing about pain, it lets you know you're not dead yet! Are you dead yet?_"

"_NO MASTER CHIEF._"

Viktor felt disgusted at this, but it wasn't his place to say anything. He wondered when someone was going to quit, to let the team rest, but no one seemed to want that disgrace. He watched for the next twelve hours as the students were put under the most grueling tests, as they were forced to eat and get gear in under five minutes, and as they were worked until they collapsed. The younger, non-Officers seemed to get better treatment. But those like Leigh Ann, Jason, and Jessica, they were worked the worst. Finally he saw Leigh Ann take a knee, and then she was shoved, before she finally got back to her feet. He wanted to rush down there and help her, but somehow he figured that she wouldn't be able to live it down. So he bit the inside of his cheek and had to watch as she started out Hell Week.


	32. Hell Week

**Hey, everybody. I'm a little disappointed with reviews. Even if I never get another one, I'll still post, but some feedback is nice, too. What am I doing wrong/right? What can I do to make the story more interesting? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, OR G.I. Jane. **

* * *

**Hell Week**

_**Viktor Krum  
**__**Tuesday, 3:00 A.M.  
**__**Viktor's Room**_

Viktor hadn't been able to sleep all night. First, hearing from "Leading Officer General McCoy," or "Charlie," as the man allowed Viktor to call him, about Hell Week. Not everyone had to participate, of course, but to be an Officer, one had to participate. It was a test of one's mettle, of their endurance and strength. But thinking of all of those tasks that Leigh Ann would have to go through all seemed wrong. She was a woman, one who wanted to have children, and these work outs seemed like they would hurt her.

And the other was the fact that she'd visited him in his room. He couldn't get her soft, Southern drawl out of his mind, or the soft feel of his skin. The fire in her eyes, when she'd turned around to chastise him, had set a fire in his loins. He'd instantly wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to make her his like no other man had done. He kept picturing her in his bed, on the fur rug in front of the fire. Hell, he could picture her in the mess hall on one of the metal tables, as long as she could be his!

He groaned when there was a knock at his tapestry, and he knew that it was Charlie, ready to show him how he handled the "troops." Viktor rubbed his face a little, charmed his beard growth that had appeared over night away, and quickly got changed. When he stepped out into the hallway, he saw that the Lieutenant General was wearing the Marine camouflage uniform. Viktor didn't know all of the names of the uniforms yet, and he was sure that it would be a long time before he did.

"Ready?" the intimidating man asked, his silver eyes seeming to look through him.

"Yes."

The man nodded, holstering a gun over his shoulder and marching through the hallways. The Academy was nothing like Durmstrang. It was bright and airy, if not a little bland, and was much larger. It also allowed women, half-breeds, and Muggle-borns as well.

He took them both outside, to a clearing, and in the center there were other teachers gathered. Most of them were already talking, but they stopped when Viktor stepped up to the rest of them. They all nodded seriously, large black bags under their eyes covered with paint that blended them into the night. All of them had guns and extra things on their tool belts and in the large packs on their backs.

"You ready, Vik?" a small, petite woman asked, and Viktor knew her to be the teacher in the classroom next to his. She taught History of Magic, (and strangely, Muggle Music,) and somehow kept the kids awake throughout the entire lecture. He could imagine why some of the boys would stay awake, as she was very pretty, (though too thin for his taste,) and had long, wheat-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. Her smile was challenging, too. Her name was Marie Lingam.

"I am ready," he said simply, looking around the group. He already knew a few people like Charlie, who taught Transfiguration, and Leah Sampson, the woman who he sat next to in the mess hall, who taught Potions. The General was nowhere to be seen, but there were about eight people there all together. _Two for each House,_ he thought vaguely. "Vhat do I do?"

"Your job," said a tall, friendly-looking woman, "is to keep the kids from running." She was tall, wispy, even, with a mischievous glint in her ice blue eyes. She had the darkest black hair he'd ever seen, though, cut short to her head. "The name's Major General Brittany Premont, the Leading Officer of the Air Force and teacher of Charms. I was aiming for First and Second Year Flying, you do know that, right?"

Viktor instantly knew that even though she seemed cheerful and joking, that having her on his bad side would be a very, very bad thing. Having _any_ of these people on his bad side would be a bad thing. "You are all military?" he asked, wondering why the heck he was there if they were.

"Yes Sir," said a tall boy, who was wearing what looked like a Marine uniform. "And we're here to help with Hell Week." He was tall, with almost black eyes and buzzed brown hair. "You're going to be helping Major General Sampson with the Army. I am Lieutenant Jefferson, helping Lieutenant General McCoy with the Marines. Major General Brittany Premont is being helped by Lieutenant Phelps." A small girl, no larger around than Viktor's bicep, nodded, her chin-length blonde hair bouncing, her dark eyes prepared in the dark of the night sky. "The Rear Admiral, as he is no longer in commission, is being replaced at the moment by a civilian in his classes."

"Doctor Samantha Swells," the woman said, nodding her head of thick black hair. "But call me Sam. I teach Medical Potions and Remedies. I'm new here, too."

Viktor had no clue how he was supposed to remember all of these names, but the kid just kept on and on, telling him that Marie Lingam, the pretty blonde History of Magic teacher, was filling in as the Navy Leading Officer. Viktor knew what had happened to the asshole Lucas Boyle, the last Leading Officer, or "LO." He was in Guantanamo Bay, the equivalent of Azkaban but in the west. And he deserved everything he got for hurting all of those witches and wizards. But most of all, he hurt Leigh Ann, and that was a crime that could never be forgiven in Viktor's eyes.

"Watches set," Charlie said, nodding his head to the group.

"Alright, Viktor," Leah Sampson said, taking his arm. "Let's go."

Everyone suddenly split up into twos. Charlie and his Lieutenant Jefferson went off towards the lodges, Marie and Sam Swells off to the docks, Brittany Premont and her Lieutenant Phelps to the hangers. _Ha, see, I can remember the names, even at four in the morning._ Viktor and Leah Sampson were heading towards the half circle barracks that he'd seen more than his fair share of, having seen them during the Triwizard Tournament when America had been there as a fourth contestant.

"What we do is go in, you throw this smoker," she shoved a small, silver canister into his hands, "and I shoot my gun, and we make the kids get up and get dressed in less than thirty seconds. We force them outside and make them run that course over there. After that is strength training, in teams. Teams push a large concrete cylinder up a hill, down one side, and then back up the other, until they're worn out. Then we take them into the water for endurance training."

On the other side of the large field where the barracks were was a large course that looked very, very difficult. There were large circular black things, a lot of barbed wire, and scary-looking walls that somehow had to be climbed. Not to mention the guns surrounding it, two taken by other adults who were steadily watching all of the team of eight. On the other side of the barracks, a long line of beach was cut off from the rest, and the waves there were even higher than the walls that had to be climbed. And then there were sand dunes, each with a large, formidable metal pipe that was double the height of a full-grown man.

_And this is only day one._

"Ready?" Sampson asked, looking very, very tired.

"Should I be?" he asked just as softly, wondering if Leigh Ann was in here, or holding the guns down by the course.

"You better be." And then she kicked in the door. Viktor pulled the key out of the canister and threw it into the middle of the rows of bunk beds, and smoke billowed out. Leah started shooting her gun into the air, and screams of protest could be heard as the kids fell out of their beds. Viktor caught a glimpse of Leigh Ann, in the third bunk down, and he wondered why she wasn't in her Officer's bunk. He figured it was just for Hell Week, so that everyone was in the same bunk, so they all got the same treatment. Then, Viktor saw Jason Nelson running from the other bunk, and he did a salute to his Leading Officer.

"LGLO, the men's bunk is awake."

"Get out of here, Nelson," Sampson growled, shooting her gun into the air. "I want to see your ass on the course, and you'd better get your best time yet."

"Yes ma'am." And then Jason ran off, but not before giving a pleading and very, very tired look to Viktor.

"I do noot oonderstand thees," Viktor told the Leading Officer of the Army. He now heard the shouts of all of the other 'soldiers' in the school, and the gunshots that accompanied them. "Vhy moost thees cheeldren roon thees course?"

"To keep up stamina and strength. Magic isn't just about how many spells you know, or how loud your voice is when you're saying them, or how powerful of a mind you have when you're doing wordless. The last is important, yes, _school_ is important." Leah and Viktor watched as the students, now all fully dressed, ran out in a single-file line. If Leigh Ann was surprised to see him, she didn't show it, and she kept her eyes straight ahead after that. "Magic takes stamina, it takes strength. If you're hit with a full-force hex, you're bound to be knocked off your feet. Our students are trained to withstand the force of magic, to go beyond what is expected of them. In year one, they're trained to withstand small hexes and jinxes. Year two learns about various animals, and how to become immune to their poisons and powers." The students from all four Houses were now down on the course, running from the flashes of guns, picking up the large, circular black things, climbing over firing walls, and crawling through the mud to get away from everything. "In year three, they're taught to reject the ImperiousCurse. Fourth are taught how to look into another's mind. Fifth years learn how to use Fiendfyre, and how to stop it in an instant. Sixth years learn to block their minds, lock them up. And then everything offensive is taught past that."

Viktor had a new respect for every man, woman, and child out on that field, running that course. Fires were blowing freely in the wind, and he wondered, if a Third Year could master blocking the Imperious Curse, then why couldn't he when he had been hurting Leigh Ann? Why wasn't he down there, taking her place, running the course for her? "I am expected to teach Fifth Year students Occlumency?"

Leah Sampson's dark brown eyes were instantly on his, and he wondered what she was thinking. Viktor, he himself was pretty good at being an Occlumens, even almost a master, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to teach students to block their emotions, to learn this painful task. Enforcing yourself against poisons is one thing, but teaching them war tactics? "I assumed you knew. It _is_ part of the job description."

"I oonderstand. Boot it is a very deefeecult thing to learn."

"I know. That's what I assumed you were up for the job."

It had been a good fifteen minutes by the time that the kids were all finished. Charlie was down on the course, at the bottom of the hill, calling off time limits of each group. Leigh Ann had just made it under the time limit for a female Sixth Year, and his heart swelled in pride. A few others, though, hadn't made the time limit, and had to run the course all over again later that night, until they got their times down or they'd done it ten times. They were quickly put into teams, and each team had to push those cylinders up the hill.

"_Fifty percent of you will not pass this course_," came Charlie's voice, magnified over the grunts of the students, the blowing of the wind, and the lapping of the waves. "_How do I know? Because that is a historical fact! Now for the bad news. I always like one person to quit on the first day. And until they do, this day does not end!_"

"I am oop for the job," he said some time later, as they stood up on the top of the hill, watching the students in the sand dunes. He felt disgusted, but there was nothing he could do. "I joost do noot knoo if the _students_ are oop for it."

"Some students are born with a natural gift." She gestured to the Marines who were doing most of the work effortlessly. "But they waste it, they care more about showing off their pureblood status than really learning. Some _aren't_ born with a knack for magic, but they're wonderful at listening, they _want_ to learn." She was motioning to the Air Force, before turning to look Viktor in the eyes. "And then there are those like Leigh Ann, Jason, and Jessica, all three of whom are strong-willed and smart in their own ways. Jason, he's got the common sense of the family, while Jessica has the book smarts. Not that Jason doesn't have any, but his mind is set to negotiate, to fix things. That's why he'll be the best in being some kind of Department of Wizarding Justice Chairman, or maybe even the President of the United States of Wizarding. And then Leigh Ann is right in the middle. She's passed most of her classes with flying colors, and failed others with just as much grace. I've never seen someone so into her potions assignments. Besides her sister, Jessica, Leigh Ann is the top of my class."

Viktor nodded, wondering what he was supposed to do now. Was he supposed to go and help those who were coaching the students, or was he supposed to stay here, listening to Professor Sampson? "And vhat is my purpose een all of thees?" Everyone was making a mad dash towards the water now, no organization, no time to rest. He watched as they all stood in the current, until someone shouted a command, and they all fell down, doing some sort of strange push-up in the water.

"You? You need to keep these children safe." Leah wouldn't look at him again, instead, standing with her arms behind her back, looking out towards the rising sun over the horizon. The students were doing the exercises in the cold mid-September waters of the Atlantic.

"_Pain is your friend, your ally. It will tell you when you are seriously injured. It will keep you awake and angry and remind you to finish the job and get the hell home. But you know the best thing about pain, it lets you know you're not dead yet! Are you dead yet?_"

"_NO MASTER CHIEF._"

Viktor felt disgusted at this, but it wasn't his place to say anything. He wondered when someone was going to quit, to let the team rest, but no one seemed to want that disgrace. He watched for the next twelve hours as the students were put under the most grueling tests, as they were forced to eat and get gear in under five minutes, and as they were worked until they collapsed. The younger, non-Officers seemed to get better treatment. But those like Leigh Ann, Jason, and Jessica, they were worked the worst. Finally he saw Leigh Ann take a knee, and then she was shoved, before she finally got back to her feet. His heart tore in half even later, when they'd all been up for twenty hours, and all of the students were standing in the freezing water in the middle of the night, all in swimming gear. Leah looked at him fixedly before walking forwards, moving towards the beach.

He followed her, both of them standing next to the Doctor, Sam Swells. Her dark grey eyes were upset and brooding, and she said a few words to Charlie, or, "Master Chief," which then made Charlie call the kids out of the water. Sam then quickly descended, waving a flashlight into each of the shivering student's eyes. "What's your name," she said softly, trying to keep their attentions.

"M-M-Major J-James Decker," said the first Army man she first looked over.

"Uh-huh," she said, feeling his fingertips. "And what day of the week is it?"

"Its fucking c-cold, that's what d-day it is."

"Where're you from, James?"

"T-Texas."

Samantha frowned, but waved her index finger in front of the man's face. "Follow my finger..." He did as she said, and she nodded, moving on to the next person. "That's good..." And on so down the line. There was another woman at the very end, doing the same thing. She had wild, curly red hair that flew everywhere, her face taken up by large bottle-cap glasses. There was something else, probably her accent, that threw him off, but between the two doctors, the line was quickly taken care of.

"_Alright, kids, now its time for some good ole food_." Viktor heaved a sigh of relief, as did most of the younger kids, who were almost blue, but then he saw that the food from earlier had been brought out, and everyone ran for it, as if they knew that if they didn't eat, then they wouldn't for a very long time. "_Get your grub and report to 7A._"

"You might want to get some rest, Viktor," Leah Sampson said softly, watching the procession with saddened eyes. "It'll be a while before you can again."

"If they are staying oop, then so am I." He particularly watched Leigh Ann, who was stuffing her pockets with small pieces of bread. Perhaps they _wouldn't_ get to eat again for a while.

Sampson sighed and looked on, looking as if she wanted to help a small First Year who was about to fall over. "You know, women never used to be allowed to join the school."

Viktor felt like he knew why. This "Hell Week" was no place for a woman. "Durmstrang does noot allow vomen, either."

"Never used to allow Muggle-borns or half-breeds or African Americans, either."

"Durmstrang does noot care aboot color of skin. But you moost be pureblood to go."

"It wasn't until a few years ago that a women even joined the Marines, too. Its strange, I know, but this school has had the worst history you've ever heard of." Sampson looked off as the kids started running to a part of the school, all of them drenched and tired and about to fall over from exhaustion. "Don't worry about them. They're just going to hold up the bell." Viktor didn't know if he wanted to understand. "It wasn't until 1962 that a woman joined. She finished with honors, right up there with the best of the best, in the Army, even beating out the Marines. And it was me."

Viktor almost missed a step, and he had to stare at her a moment before he understood what she meant. "Vhat?"

"I was the first woman to ever take a class in this school, to ever endure Hell Week. I worked my ass off, trying to fit in, trying to do everything in my power to make it work. I even challenged the Master Chief to let me do everything like a man. No double standards, no separate quarters, no differential treatment. I did everything that a man could do. I even slept in the same bunker, to their disliking. I shaved all of my hair off, even. I was a symbol of controversy. But the UWS used me."

"UWS?" Viktor asked, almost unable to pronounce the letters, he was so shocked.

"The United Wizarding States. I was a pawn." Viktor and Professor Sampson walked right past the students who were holding up what looked to be boats, and then a group of Officers who were holding up the bell. Viktor met Leigh Ann's hardened eyes, and he felt a respect for her build inside his chest. "I was only used to make a woman the first president of the UWS. And then she dumped me like a used napkin. But I didn't quit. I stayed in, and I made it. And now so have over four-hundred other women and Muggle-borns."

"You vere the first Muggle-born?"

"No. That spot was held by a man. I was only the first woman in the school, in the Army. The first woman to ever enter the Marines, now _that's_ a whole 'nother story. You see the pretty doctor over there, fretting her hands?" Viktor looked over to see Samantha Swells, watching the younger children with worry. He nodded. "Sam O'Neil, now Swells, was the first woman to ever join the Marines at this school, back ten years ago. Since then, over thirty girls have somehow gotten in. Don't ask me how, it has just happened, much to the disliking of the men in the group."

Viktor knew already that he didn't like the sound of the biases in this school, though how could he talk? He didn't know how many years he'd gone, bashing Muggle-borns and half-breeds, treating women as if they were supposed to be barefoot and pregnant and serve their husband's ever need. He'd gotten better in the most part, but he did have to admit that when he'd heard that Leigh Ann was a half-breed so long ago, that he'd had second thoughts about how beautiful she was. But in the end, none of that had mattered. She was his, and he would be sure that she would never be hurt.

...Well, at least after this week was over. He felt for sure that this week would hurt her very, very much, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had to let her do this on her own.

"No, don't do it!" came a few voices suddenly, and Viktor watched a tall, thin boy that looked like a Second Year walk out from under a boat, looking dead in the eye. "Don't do it, Thomas! Don't do it, man!" "Thomas" took one look at all of them, ran a hand through his hair, and then reached up to ring the bell above all of the Officer's heads. Leigh Ann flinched but kept her arms up high, and then it started to rain.

Leah Sampson sighed. She then put her wand to her throat, with a _"Sonorus,"_ and said, very loudly, "Thomas Grove, Dropped On Request." Then she removed her wand and motioned Doctor Swells over to pick up the Air Force boy, showing that she had a lot more strength than he could have pictured. "He," she said softly to Viktor, "is one of the very few half-beings in our presence. Please watch out for him, keep him safe and make him feel like he's wanted."

"Vhat is he?"

Both of them watched as Samantha Swells carried the boy off, looking very, very drained. "Thomas is half Wizard, half Vampire." Viktor saw that the boy was rather pale, and he vaguely remembered that he'd looked drained whenever the sun had been out.

"Linda Warren, third year in the Navy," Sampson said, pointing to a girl with a knee-length black ponytail of hair, her skin a pale, almost green color, as if she'd had Dragon Pox. "Half banshee." Next, she pointed to a large boy in a Marine uniform. He had to have been almost seven foot with the meanest look that Viktor had ever seen, and he was holding his own boat. "Harold Jones. Half Giant. He's the first Marine to ever be a half-being. Watch out for him, he's nasty. He may be dumb as a brick, but he'll play any trick to get what he wants." Then she pointed to a very small, very beautiful girl whom Viktor knew had Veela blood in her bloodstream.

"Veela," Viktor sighed, noticing that she was in the Army.

"Yes. Amanda Rose, Fifth Year. All four of these students have made a...how you say, _guest appearance_ at the school, for a trial run. First came Amanda, and when that went alright, then Harold. Harold wasn't the best, you see, but the UWS wanted to keep going, add more, make it a real trial run. Next came Linda, and lastly, Thomas. He's been poorly, though I can't blame him. He isn't full Vampire, but the light still affects him, he's still allergic to garlic, and any time he comes across a wooden post that could possibly become a stake, he almost faints. I could only wonder why he's like this, what with the way the ex-Rear Admiral had treated him. I hope that bastard rots in jail for the rest of his miserable life for what he's done to most of his students."

Viktor almost saw completely red at the mentioning of his name, but he made himself take a breath, and he looked away from the Leading Officer/Professor. "You knoo, then. Of vhat he deed to Leahn."

She nodded. "Yes. I do. And it hurt me more than you know that I wasn't able to protect her. You see, Viktor, we've got to protect our students. That means showing them every way of life possible, strengthen them up. We've got to teach them to protect themselves, to keep their lives in order, even if we can't protect ourselves or keep our _own_ lives in order. We've got to show the girls that they can do whatever they need to do to protect themselves and create a life in America, which is slowly recognizing women in politics and in the world itself. Our men become some of the world's strongest wizards, and our witches are right up there with them. And because we have free speech, we teach them how _not_ to speak, to know when is the right time. This school, for now, is a safe haven. We haven't had but two pregnancies, and only a dozen marriages, that keep a student from finishing their schooling. If Leigh Ann had done either of those, I would have understood her dropping out. But she withstood that bastard's torture and still is here. It takes more than courage to be able to look all of these people in the eye, to talk to them like a normal person, than it would to have just dropped out. And it, to me, is the bravest thing I think I've ever seen."

Viktor looked over to Leigh Ann, who was drenched in rain and salt water and mud and who knew what else, and knew that she was one of the strongest women he knew. His grandmother, for one, and then Leah Sampson. And now Leigh Ann was there, past his grandfather, even, who had stood up to Grindelwald, and was killed in the face of his country's fear. But Leigh Ann had lived through her torture, she'd come back. And that was perhaps the reason that he started loving her, right then and there.

**

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**

Just some backstory on the American Academy of Magic. I figured, you know, it's kind of important, considering that the entire Part III is based there.

**What do you think of Major General Leah Sampson? She's probably one of my favorites in this story. I just wanted to give her a backstory, too.**

**Anyways, here's a look at the next chapter!**

First day back, and I had Advanced Potions, Advanced Medical Potions and Remedies, Advanced Transfiguration, and Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was so sick of school already that I was ready just to pack up and go home.

Then again, I _was_ about to see Viktor...

I quickly wiped the smile that formed off my face, trying to keep cool, even though I really hadn't seen him in over a week. I was ready to see my boyfriend, even if we had to hide it. It kind of sucked, but eventually, we could probably show everyone...right?

Sighing, I sat down in one of the chairs in the room. At the moment, there were chairs all around the clean, brown-colored room. The light, cool wood on the floor was covered partially by rugs, and then there was a blackboard and a desk at the far end of the room, on the opposite side of the door. Viktor was sitting at the desk, small reading spectacles on his nose as he graded papers, and I didn't think that I'd ever seen a more beautiful sight.

When all of us were sat down, he looked up from grading his papers and smiled at all of us. "Good day, students. Hello."


	33. Back to School

**This is a Viktor/Leigh chapter, I promise! I know that I've been lacking, but eventually you'll see where this is going...(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor Viktor Krum!**

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**Back to School**

_**Leigh Ann  
**__**Tuesday, September 19, 7:00 A.M.  
**__**Officer's Bunk**_

I collapsed into my bed, _my bed_, the one in my Officer's bunk, and wanted to die, right then and there. I'd never realized in the past, how hard Hell Week had really been, because First through Fourth Years always got to leave Hell Week after the first two days. And last year, my Fifth Year, I'd been in Britain for the Triwizard Tournament, and Hell Week had been canceled. So this year, after having to do it for a week straight, never sleeping, never eating correctly, freezing my ass off and then burning up from the hot sun on my back, it really burned me out.

Thank God Fifth Years and up got a day of rest. No work, no homework, no working-out, nothing, nada, zip. I'd already taken an ice bath for twenty minutes, then a regular bath, and finally had changed into my fuzzy pajamas before collapsing on the bed. And now that I was here, and I could finally rest...

_**Viktor Krum  
**__**11:45 P.M.  
**__**Under a Tree Outside the Army Barracks**_

Viktor leaned his head back, took a deep breath, and then looked down on his plan of study for the year. Err—perhaps _week_. Or maybe he should just focus on the day? Yes. That sounded just fine. Or at least he thought. He'd never really taught anyone before, so this was going to be difficult for him. If he focused on curses and hexes, he might scare the class. If he just made them read from the books, then they would get bored. And if he used animals…things could get messy.

His first Defense Against the Dark Arts class was going to start in less than two hours, and he still didn't have anything on his syllabus. It was the Fourth Year Navy and Marines who were going to be in his class. He could someone questions about what the class had learned, and then go off of that. He might have to, actually. Even though Leah Sampson had told him that his main goal as a teacher for DADA was to teach the Fourth Years Occlumency, he was confident that he could do that in a very short amount of time. What was he supposed to do with the rest of the time?

He figured that he would ask them when he got the chance. But in the meantime, he heard the signal of the bells that meant it was time for mess hall, and he closed his "notebook," standing up and stretching in the late September sun. He watched as all of the children who had had "free period" this day after Hell Week were out playing in the sun, relaxing under trees, and just having fun after that hell. He looked around, trying to spot Leigh Ann, but he only saw Alexandra, her best friend, asleep under one of the pretty peach trees in the orchard.

Viktor turned and went inside, surprised to see that practically no one was really there. The tables were mostly filled by the Fourth Years and younger students who had already been going to class for days, even when the older students were still in Hell Week. He'd already taught eight flying classes, and he figured out that the Air Force were the most skilled, and the Navy had the most strategy. The Marines, as always, tended to play dirty. And then the Army was a mixture of all three, tending to stay towards the rules more and trying to be as fair and skillful as possible at the same time. Of course, there were the few exceptions, but they mostly stuck to each stereotype.

Viktor suddenly noticed that the mess hall was full, even though a moment ago there had been barely anyone in there. Apparently, when the bells were rung, if you weren't sick or dying, you couldn't miss mess hall. Half of the people who were there were dressed in comfortable-looking pants and strange, thin-strapped tops, or short boxers and t-shirts. Leigh Ann was wearing soft blue, fuzzy looking pants, and one of those thin-strapped tops in black. Underneath, she was wearing something else, but all he saw was her. She looked like she'd lost way too much weight, and her hair was up and curly around her head, standing up on the ends in some places.

She sat down in the Army stands, and he wanted to wave so badly that it hurt, but he didn't. She did manage to catch his eyes with her sleepy ones, though, and she smiled softly at him. The little realization that she was alright, not in pain from Hell Week, made his nervousness for classes disappear, and he was re-energized.

"Students," the General called out in his demanding voice, suddenly appearing in front of the podium at the top of the mess hall. "I apologize for violating the remainder of the Rest Day, but there is important news. The new Leading Officer of the Navy has arrived." The students looked relieved, probably thinking that it had been something much, much worse than that, but the Navy...almost half of them had a murderous look in their eyes. And when the back doors opened, revealing the curvy figure of a woman, half of them were ready to get up and storm out.

The woman was beautiful, with long, curling black hair and a smile that seemed fake, it was so bright. She had bright, ice blue eyes and a figure that was slightly too skinny for his taste. She walked up in her bright, white Naval Officer's uniform, standing next to the General at the podium. "Hello. I am Rear Admiral Kaitlynn Jones."

"She will be taking over the teaching of Arithmancy and the Study of Ancient Runes," the General said, giving the dirty eye to the Navy students. "I expect her to be treated with the utmost respect."

"Yes Sir," the students said all at once, though slightly unenthusiastically.

"And, while I still have you here..." The students groaned, laying their heads on the tables. "Oh, quiet. Quidditch Tryouts will be held in two weeks. Captains, start making schedules of when it's your turn to practice and hold tryouts. Also, football conditioning begins next week. Captains, coaches, and managers, get together sometime _outside of class_ to coordinate. That will be all. You are excused."

Half of the student body instantly went up in smoke, disappearing, and probably going back to their rooms. Leigh Ann was gone as well. "Vell, that vas short," Viktor said to himself, looking over to see that the new Navy Leading Officer, at the other side of the table, was frowning.

"Usually is, when Rest Day is violated," Leah Sampson said, looking over her students. "But don't worry. Things will be back to normal before you know it."

_**Leigh Ann  
**__**Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 P.M.  
**__**Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom**_

First day back, and I had Advanced Potions, Advanced Medical Potions and Remedies, Advanced Transfiguration, and Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was so sick of school already that I was ready just to pack up and go home.

Then again, I _was_ about to see Viktor...

I quickly wiped the smile that formed off my face, trying to keep cool, even though I really hadn't seen him in over a week. I was ready to see my boyfriend, even if we had to hide it. It kind of sucked, but eventually, we could probably show everyone...right?

Sighing, I sat down in one of the chairs in the room. At the moment, there were chairs all around the clean, brown-colored room. The light, cool wood on the floor was covered partially by rugs, and then there was a blackboard and a desk at the far end of the room, on the opposite side of the door. Viktor was sitting at the desk, small reading spectacles on his nose as he graded papers, and I didn't think that I'd ever seen a more beautiful sight.

When all of us were sat down, he looked up from grading his papers and smiled at all of us. "Good day, students. Hello."

"Hello," the students said back hesitantly, reminded of one of the first days of Preschool and Kindergarten.

"Today, ve vill joost..._talk_," he said casually, shrugging. He pulled off his reading spectacles, giving out a smile, making the girls give out a sigh. A small flash of jealousy rang through me.

_You'd think that they'd have learned from last year, at the Triwizard Tournament,_ I thought, shaking my head and listening to what Viktor wanted to "talk" about. Apparently he had no clue of what we'd already learned. He picked me out single-handedly to tell the class what we'd learned. I told him that we'd already learned hexes, jinxes, and counter-curses. Poisons and sea creatures were there too, but regular curses were a little iffy for all of us. _It's a good thing to know what we're going to be learning after Occlumency._

Viktor stood up, placing the palms of both his hands on his desk. He didn't talk until he'd met everyone's eyes. "Occlumency is noot soomething to take lightly. It is very dangerous magic. Moost countries do noot allow the teaching of it. But very few students, such as yourself, smart, eentelligent... you vill all learn eet." There were only about five students in this classroom who'd even been _allowed_ to take Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, because of test grades, strength, need, and behavior. One of my friends, Michal Thompson, had been kicked out of school because of his behavior, even though he'd had okay grades. It took strength to learn to keep your mind from someone else's. And as for need...well, if you were a student who was more likely to become an Auror, or a secret agent, or someone like me, who'd been kidnapped and tortured for information on the UWS, then yeah, that student needed to learn it. "Thees vill take a vhile to learn, boot I vill be by your side."

He looked over all of us, settling his eyes onto Mary Louis, my good friend. Her blue eyes were slightly hesitant as he approached her. "Mees Louis," he said, standing with his hands behind his back, "I vant to see vhat you knoo. Now, I vant you to clear you mind."

She smiled warily, looking up at him. "I thought you said we were just talking?" Viktor looked at her dryly, as if her smart comment hadn't amused him. She flushed, embarrassed, looking down at her desk. "Y-yes, sir." She closed her eyes, her face hidden by her long locks of beautiful gold hair. Slowly, the tension ran out of her, and she looked up at him. "I'm ready."

He slowly started walking around her. "Are you sure? I vant no emotion. I do noot vant your tension or your nervousness to penetrate your shield. Peecture a brick vall, slovly beeuilding it..."

"I said I'm ready," she said, just as emotionlessly. Viktor smiled at her, then looked directly into her eyes. She flinched the second it started, and then frowned, looking away. "That was _way_ too damn simple for you."

"And I oonly joost looked eento memories on the toop." He frowned, looking around the entire class. "Is thees the only training you half had?"

The five of us looked at each other. It was me, Mary Louis, Justin Crusoe from the Marines, and Leonard Mallard and Penelope McPherson from the Navy. All of us were the top of our class, and we were all in line to be a part of the Congress of Wizards, or the Judicial Branch of Wizards, or even all the way up to the Executive Branch. And by our Ninth Years, there would probably only be one or two of us in this class, learning the most advanced spells of all.

"Mees Neelsoon," he said, and I looked up to see that he was standing directly over me. His dark eyes were so full of adoration and emotion that for a moment, I couldn't answer him. "Vill you clear your mind?"

"O-of course." I closed my eyes, trying to get him out of my mind. It was difficult, but I just thought of my little secluded spot, out in the woods. I pictured it right in spring, when the lilies started blooming, and the trees were all budding. A small creek ran through the center, surrounded by many colorful rocks and stones. It relaxed me even more to see Viktor there, both of us lying under the willow tree, his heartbeat under my ear as we relaxed together. Then I started to build the wall. Instead of bricks, I pictured steel.

I didn't want Viktor into the recesses of my mind. Not only would he see what I thought of _him_ on a daily (not to mention nightly,) basis, but he might try and go deeper, into the memories that I tried to repress.

Taking a deep breath, I didn't bother opening my eyes when I said, "I'm ready."

"You vill noot open your eyes?" he asked lowly, trying to get under my skin. It was _very_ seductive, and hopefully the other kids hadn't picked up on it.

"No. Legilimency is easier to perform if the target's and the practitioner's eyes meet." Now I did open my eyes, and I looked at Mary. "First lesson of Fourth Year DADA." She blushed, and I returned to my eyes closed, head down. "I'm still ready, Professor." Wow, it felt _so_ weird to call him that.

"If you say so," he said smugly, and I felt a tug at the edge of my mind. I knew that he wasn't using the full extent of his powers yet, so when that tug turned into more of a shove, I was ready. I felt myself flinch as he used even more of his influence, but I knew that I couldn't break. If he saw what was in my mind, if he tried to go even _deeper_ than just the top, then I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold up.

Suddenly he broke through, and I saw a very realistic memory from when I was a child. It was when I'd been on my Junior Pro Quidditch Team, the best Chaser there. I watched in dismay, not able to stop the memory, as a mini Bludger hit me in the leg, and I fell from my broomstick, slowly falling through the air, to land hard on the ground, fracturing the bones in my left hip, tearing the tendons.

And then I was surfacing, and I took deep, panicked breaths. Viktor looked at me for only a moment with sadness, but then his face hardened, and he turned, looking at all five of us. "Occlumency vill be difficult to master. Some of you may noot do it at all. Boot you shall knoo, that vhen you are mentally attacked by an enemy Legimens, they vill noot stoop at seemple childhood memories." I was still a little panicked, actually. My heartbeat was still beating erratically, and I was sure that my eyes looked wild and upset. "They vill search through the layers of your mind, trying to find your vone veakness. If strong enoof, they can control you, take over your mind. How many...ah, I should say, how few of you can bloock an Eempeerious Curse?"

I raised my hand, as did Penelope. I was actually surprised that someone besides me had decided to learn. Needless to say, after I'd been kidnapped, I'd taken lessons from my mother, aunts, and grandmother for things like Occlumency and blocking the Imperious Curse. I wasn't going to be taken without defenses again. The school had taught me a lot, yes, but that didn't mean that I still wasn't vulnerable.

"I vill also teach you thees," he said with a nod. The two male students in the classroom looked disgruntled as Viktor went to them next, and then Penelope last. Penelope turned out to be the best of all of us, lasting for about ten seconds longer than me. The boys had gotten less than optimistic times. "In time, you vill be able to vithstand my advances eendefinately. Some of you, no, but you vill be able to hold up longer. My job is to teach you as much as I possibly can. My job is to protect you." Very slowly, his eyes met mine. "And I _vill_ protect you."

_**Jessica Nelson  
**__**Thursday, September 21, 7:00 A.M.  
**__**Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom**_

Every Fifth Year was cautious as they stepped into the Defense room, wondering what it would look like with Professor Almoner gone and pregnant. They'd all loved the mother-like figure, but she'd always been a softie, and they really hadn't learned much. Most were surprised to see that the room was a clean, brown color, without desks, but chairs along the wall and cushions on the floor. There were many bookshelves, with most of the books looking centuries old. The floor was a cool wooden color, lighter and softer than mahogany.

"What, do we just take a seat?" Lieutenant (junior grade) Oliver Bradley asked sarcastically, pulling off his pack and setting it next to chair that was against the wall. He'd directed this at Jessica, but she wasn't paying attention.

She felt a little frazzled, knowing that she would have to be extra careful in this class. Viktor was known to be one of the world's best Legimens _and _Occlumens, but yet she needed to know what was in his mind! She knew everything to know about all of the teachers and students, but not him, nor the General, nor Leah Sampson. All of their minds were mysteries... "Sit down, Oliver. He's a new teacher, who knows what he wants us to do?"

"I vant you to use magic," came a voice, and everyone looked around. There was no one standing up, so they couldn't see anything besides pillows in the center of the room. That was when Fiendfyre started up in the center of class, and Jessica looked around, ready to kill one of her comrades who'd started it without her permission, the one who was possibly about to blow their cover. But it wasn't a student. It was a teacher. Actually, it was Leigh's _boyfriend._

Not that many people remembered that they were together. After Leigh had been kidnapped, he'd single-handedly led the search for her. Jessica'd had to be home most of the time, searching for her 'lost' sister, but the rest of her time had been spent trying to get information out of her in any means possible. Unexpectedly, Leigh had more training as an Occlumens than she'd originally thought, and the information had never been gotten out of her. She'd never had the heart to finish the torture victim off. Jessica had never felt sicker in her life, though, and she wished that she could forget every scream her older sister had made.

She had to do this, though. She had to rid her school of filth, even though her Leading Officer wasn't there to head her operation anymore. The Grand Wizard had given her the position instead, and it was driving her completely crazy, bringing her to wits end. So when Viktor Krum stepped out of the Fiendfyre, she was so thankful that she could have wept.

"That," Viktor said, standing there in his Seeker glory, "vas Fiendfyre. You vill be learning it thees year in my class." He still looked the same, the bastard who'd ruined her operation and gotten her Leading Officer sent to Guantanamo Bay. "Jessica?"

She almost flew out of her seat, to the amusement of the class, and managed to choke out a, "Y-yes sir?" Ugh, she wanted to gag at calling him _sir_.

"Vhat half you learned een the past years?"

_Oh, thank you, Merlin._ She managed to actually talk and think without losing her mind, telling him all that the idiot Almoner had taught them before she'd gotten knocked up, which wasn't much. Water creatures were mostly covered, as were poisons. Hexes and jinxes were almost perfect, but regular spells were a little iffy, and counter-curses were almost non-existent in everyone's mind but Jessica's. She was ready for whatever Viktor had to throw at her.

"Tell me a jinx, anyvone," he said to the entire class, and the Navy kids threw out the names before the Marines could even open their mouths.

"_Anteoculatia_," she said, as others cried out, _"Entomorphis!"_ and _"Vermillious!"_ and many others. She got bored and sat back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other, thankful that there was an entire class that could answer questions while she took a moment to take a deep breath, calm her nerves. This teacher was going to be hard to fool, exactly like Leah Sampson. The General was still wary of her after the whole Imperious Curse scandal with Viktor, because she'd almost lost her cover during it. And Viktor might be able to remember her magical signal that she'd emanated. She was in way over her head, and all of her comrades knew it, but they still followed her.

Somehow, she had to fulfill her destiny. She had to rid the school of filth, but somehow save her siblings. She had a heart, but it was buried, somewhere beneath her hatred. It beat wildly to save her friends, her family, but it was difficult. They were all blood-traitors and half-bloods and she was supposed to hate them all. Or at least she needed to act like she did, to save her own life and keep with the Grand Wizard. She was in over her head. If she tried to quit now...

She would drown.

* * *

**So? What do you think of Viktor as a teacher? I'm trying to get as detailed as possible! Please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think!**

**Here's a look at the next chapter! (:**

You know, most people don't understand the need for a good, old-fashioned Saturday afternoon off. There was no Quidditch, (no matter how much I loved to play, sometimes you just needed an afternoon off,) there weren't any classes, (even if I DID have that three page essay on hexes from Viktor and a dragon pox theory to come up with, but I could do that tomorrow,) and most of all, there was no more Alana O'Malley from _New Yo-ak. _I swear, if I heard anything else about a "knish" again, I was going to shove a knish down her skinny little throat!

_Ahem. _Anyways, as I'd been saying, everyone needed an old-fashioned Sunday afternoon off. There was nothing better than sitting back with everyone in the Army Barracks, screaming their heads off at the multiple large-screen televisions that some of the older kids had smuggled into the Common Room.

And then, of course, there was the little priss, who thought that football was nothing but a neanderthal sport and needed to be replaced with synchronized_ swimming_ and _yoga_. And no, it wasn't that I was completely jealous of her for taking my place as Belle in the Fall Musical, _Beauty and the Beast. _Because I'd gotten Fanny in_ Funny Girl_!_ Beat THAT, miss football-is-a-sport-for-fat-men-who-sit-and-scratch-their-bellies!_ We Southerners took our football seriously, unlike that...that _monster_! _Who in their right mind doesn't like football? It's...it's FOOTBALL!_


	34. Quidditch Tryouts

**How many of you remember that Leigh Ann had been chosen for Quidditch Captain, or that she has a REALLY prominent Southern accent? If you did, cookie for you! If not, the Quidditch part comes in right here!(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor Quidditch, and unfortunately, I don't own Viktor Krum, either!**

* * *

**Quidditch Tryouts**

_**Leigh Ann Nelson  
**__**Saturday, September 23, 7:00 A.M.  
**__**Quidditch Pitch**_

Between Officer Training, Advanced classes, and helping the Army with football conditioning, I'd almost completely forgotten about being Quidditch Captain and lead Chaser. I knew that my brother would be on the team, as he was the second best Chaser in the entire Army. I wasn't sure if Mary Louis would keep her position or not, because I had my eyes on a Third Year who had been pretty good in their first year...

I shook my head and concentrated on tryouts for Beaters. So far, I'd managed to whittle them down to about four, but I could only have two. For a moment, I wished that Fred and George were here, because they'd been pretty good, and I was having my doubts for a good Beater. Captain Jeanette McCurdy was alright, though, and I knew that the Seventh Year Officer would defiantly be one of the Beaters. So I kicked off one more Third Year from the roster, and then looked at my remaining two. One of them wasn't that great at flying, but was killer with the Beater's bat. The other was just the opposite. So, teach one to fly, or teach one to hit?

_Viktor._ Duh. I kicked off the one who couldn't hit, because I knew that Viktor could teach the scrawny Second Year to fly.

"Alright. Everyone take five." Oliver Riley, the Second Year Beater I'd chosen, was still excited about getting on the team, so he really didn't care about getting a break. But the rest of the hopeful contestants who'd been flying around the entire time, being looked over by Jason and Jeanette, were _more_ than ready to take a break. "Keepers, you're all up next. And then we'll get our Seeker."

Jason came over to me, sweat dripping on his face. Since it was a Saturday, he was in civilian clothes, though it wasn't long before he took his shirt off to keep cool. "Leigh Ann," he said, throwing his broom onto one shoulder, "you're killin' us."

"Can't stand the heat, get off of my pitch," I said simply, shrugging. I looked over the roster as all of the fliers topped and set foot on the ground, some of them limping over to the water coolers. It looked like, for my Keeper, I had four contestants, one of them the Keeper last year with a thirty-point losing average per game. His name was Cameron, and he was an Eighth Year this year. I knew that I would get crap for not keeping him, because he was so popular and "supposedly" a good player, but the Third Year that I'd never seen before was pretty amazing.

So when I announced that the Third Year, (Estala, her name was, from Southern California,) had gotten the position after they'd all tried out, and I'd chosen Cameron as back-up, because heaven knows that we'd lost more than one Keeper to a bad Bludger, it was needless to say that people got quite angry. Half of my Seeker trainees walked out on me, even last year's Seeker, Ronald Zwieback from South Dakota.

"Damn," I cursed, looking over my last two contestants. I was left with a rather scrawny First Year and the new Fifth Year Officer, Alana O'Malley. There was something about the New Yorker that I hadn't liked from the beginning. Maybe it was her perfectly-wavy hair, or her perfect, lithe body. Or even her flat, fast-paced accent. All I knew was that I didn't want her as my Seeker. Even _if_ she was the best person for the job. I probably would have even picked her over Ronald, though I would have hated to admit it.

And so, I had my Quidditch team for the year.

_**Saturday, 6:00 P.M.  
**__**Army Barracks "Common Room"**_

You know, most people don't understand the need for a good, old-fashioned Saturday afternoon off. There was no Quidditch, (no matter how much I loved to play, sometimes you just needed an afternoon off,) there weren't any classes, (even if I DID have that three page essay on hexes from Viktor and a dragon pox theory to come up with, but I could do that tomorrow after church and before the professional pigskin,) and most of all, there was no more Alana O'Malley from _New Yo-ak. _I swear, if I heard anything else about a "knish" again, I was going to shove a knish down her skinny little throat!

_Ahem_. Anyways, as I'd been saying, everyone needed an old-fashioned Sunday afternoon off. There was nothing better than sitting back with everyone in the Army Barracks, screaming their heads off at the multiple large-screen televisions that some of the older kids had smuggled into the "Common Room." It sounded so strange, coming from our school, to even hear those words. But ever since we'd gone to Hogwarts, the Rec Room had turned into the "Common Room," not that I was complaining.

Oh, wait, I was getting off track again. You'd think that I wanted a nice, quiet day off. But this Saturday, (and usually Sunday,) ritual, all of us sitting around the seven flat screens, watching different college and professional football games from as many different angles as possible...well, _that_ was my kind of Saturday. One TV was even showing a rerun of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup! _How did someone even get a camera in there?_ Anyways, I wasn't going to say that I was a _particular_ fan of any certain football team, *cough*_The Alabama Crimson Tides_*cough*. No, of course not. I wasn't wearing my large, crimson jersey with the giant _A_ on the front. Nope. And my brother wasn't arguing with me about how much better the Auburn Tigers were. Totally not. _The Tides are better, just so ya know._

And then, of course, there was the little priss, who thought that football was nothing but a Neanderthal sport and needed to be replaced with synchronized_ swimming_ and _yoga_. And no, it wasn't that I was completely jealous of her for taking my place as Belle in the Fall Musical, _Beauty and the Beast. _Because I'd gotten Pocahontas in _Pocahontas_!_ Beat THAT, miss football-is-a-sport-for-fat-men-who-sit-and-scratch-their-bellies!_ We Southerners took our football seriously, unlike that...that _monster_! _Who in their sane mind doesn't like football? It's...it's FOOTBALL!_

So, obviously, I was a little peeved at her. Over four-fifths of the Army was in the common room, the other few people out with their new little leader, Miss Alana. She wasn't even interested in watching the Quidditch match!

Strangely, though, I was. I had already seen reruns of it from my mother, from her memories, but watching it on the TV, seeing Viktor out there on his broomstick...it was amazing.

"_And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you – Dimitrov!" Ah, how is the old devil? _A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick shot out onto the field from an entrance right below me. He was flying on a Firebolt.

"_Ivanova_!" _Miss that old girl._ A second zoomed out. "_Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov!Aaaaaaaand...Krum!_"

Many Omnioculars were pulled out, and the "camera" zoomed in, though I already knew what he looked like. How many times had I seen him, touched his face, held onto him as he kissed the breath completely out of me? He was tall, broad, and dark. His nose was long and straight, his eyes a dark chocolate that just made me want to melt. Here, his hair was shorter, though I thought that I liked him much better with his slightly longer hair that curled like fine baby curls. The maroon of his jersey suited him well. It was hard to believe he was only nineteen, then, and almost twenty, now.

"_And now, please greet—the Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! __Troy! Mullet! Morgan! Quigley! Aaaaaaaand—Lynch_!" Seven green blurs swept onto the field, all of them still using Firebolts. I wondered if, one day, some of them would be riding a _Rocket,_ which was a broom of my own creation.

"_And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa_!" A small and skinny wizard, completely bald but with a mustache, and wearing robes of pure gold, strode onto the field. In his mouth was a silver whistle, and he was carrying the large crate customary for holding the Quidditch balls and his broom. He mounted his broomstick and kicked the crate open.

Three balls instantly zoomed into the air, and the man threw up the Quaffle on his own. With a sharp blast on the whistle, Mostafa quickly climbed after the balls.

"_Theeeeeeeeeey're OFF!_" screamed Ludo Bagman. I knew that it was him, because I remembered his voice from England. "_And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran_!"

It was a usual Quidditch match to me. And did no one have any originality? With the Hawkshead Attacking Formation, and the Porskoff Ploy? I watched as Troy scored, and it was ten to zero Ireland. Of course, the Ireland chasers were superb, and I knew that Bulgaria hadn't stood a chance, then, even _before_ they'd gotten good enough to lose by ten points to America.

Though within ten minutes, Ireland had scored two more times. _Check back in with the Crimson Tide game...fourteen to ten, Tides winning against Georgia. And Auburn? Losing by one to Florida. Gotcha._

After Ireland's second score, the match became faster. The Bulgarian Beaters were starting to be on their A-game, working hard to throw the Irish off their own game. It worked for a while, too, and Bulgaria scored their first goal. After that, Bulgaria, of course, had possession. "_Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova—oh, I say!_"

One hundred thousand magical fold gasped as the two Seekers flew downwards, between the Chasers, and it seemed that they were falling with gravity from high up. If this was what I thought it was… If not, they're going to crash… At the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiraled off. The Irish Seeker, though, hit the ground with a sickening crack. "_It's time-out!_" Bagman yelled, "_as trained med wizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch_!"

"Good move, eh?" Jason asked as he ruffled my hair. I jumped, not realizing that he'd been standing over me. "I don't think that Alana could pull it off, though."

"Of course not," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's the Wronski Defensive Feint. The little priss is lucky enough to catch the practice Snitches."

Jason, always the insightful one, sat down beside me with a beer, which was a violation and he was an Officer, but whatever, he was 21, he could do whatever he wanted. "I take it you weren't happy about havin' to pick her for Seeker?"

"What else could I do?" I asked, watching as Lynch got to his feet and The Crimson Tides got another touchdown. "She's good. I hate to say it, but she really is." Finally, after a long time, Lynch got to his feet and mounted, kicking off into the air. All that time, however, Krum had looked all around for the Snitch without interference.

Mostafa blew the whistle again, and the Chasers moved even faster. "I know that she's good, sis," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "But so are you. And you're the Captain. You don't like the way she does things, just boot her off the team."

"But I can't," I groaned, wishing that for a moment, all of the noise in the barracks would quiet, and that I could get a second of alone time with my brother. "Everyone else was upset because I chose Estala over Cameron, so they walked. And besides, even Ronald isn't as good as Alana, you know that."

"Yeah, I know." After fifteen more minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. It was one hundred and thirty points to ten.

Mullet shot towards the goal posts, clutching the Quaffle tightly, and the Bulgarian Keeper Zograf flew out to meet her. The whistle was blown and I shook my head. Excessive use of elbows, I guessed, and I was right. Ireland got a penalty.

I looked over at my brother, wondering when he became the one I had to go to for all of my troubles. Alex, who was sitting over with Mary, strangely, was the one I usually went to. And Mary was a close second. It used to be Michal, but he'd gotten expelled.

You see, the thing was, about this school...it wasn't a school that you just got into automatically. You either needed a letter of recommendation from a family member who'd gone to the school and a high enough test score to survive, or you really wanted to be here and you passed a series of tests, physically _and_ mentally, to get inside. And then, just to please the Wizarding Congress, we allowed a certain number of Muggles into our second year, after they'd learned some things. And if you didn't get in, there were two other schools to go to in the US. There was the Salem Witch Institute, mostly for females, and then the Desert School of Arizona, which held both, but boys tended to go there. It was more based on England's school system, and the Salem Witch Institute was more based on a real life high school.

Needless to say, I didn't _have_ to be here, enduring the highest level of learning or the Hell Week. I didn't have to be here, getting woken up at five in the morning just so that I could take a three-mile endurance run. I was here because I wanted to be, not because I had to. My mother had signed the admission slip, as had her father, before he'd passed away, and I'd passed the magic exam with flying colors.

"You know, Anna…I've been thinkin' lately…" His words caught me off guard and brought me back to the present.

"Ooh, dangerous," I said jokingly as I turned back to the Quidditch match and stole the beer from his hand, taking a swig of it. I still didn't like it, but a football party wasn't a football party without beer.

"No, I really need you to listen to this," he said, and I looked up at him as the Veela became the part of a large argument, and the ref gave Ireland another penalty. He looked really nervous. Like…_really_ nervous. My brother was never nervous! He was my _brother_!

"Yeah?" I asked, trying to make this as nonchalant as possibly for him by turning back to the game. There were plenty more fouls as the game went on, and Bulgaria only scored a few more times. "Must be pretty serious."

He nodded, and I knew that this was going to be very, very hard for him. He had to clear his throat a few times in order to actually talk. "Well…you remember that girl from the Triwizard Tournament?"

Tall leggy blonde with the bright blue eyes and, _ahem_, assets? "Evangeline?"

"Yeah, her."

_Obviously. _"What of her?"

And now the un-brotherly-like things were continuing. Jason was _fidgeting! _"Well… things are gettin' a little…serious."

I had to bite my lip to keep from saying what I really wanted to, and also to keep from laughing. _My brother…actually getting _serious_ about a girl… What a laugh!_ "Well, you might want to bring her home to meet the family before you get hitched. You never know what she'll think of the in-laws before she actually _meets_ them."

Maybe turning this conversation into a joke hadn't been the best thing ever, but that's what he would have done with me, and I really didn't think that I could have kept it serious anyways. He wasn't talking anymore, just had a strange look over his face as I turned my attention back to the TV.

One of the Irish Beaters swung heavily at a passing Bludger, and it was hit towards Viktor. I instantly covered my face, hearing the sickening crack of his nose breaking, and I felt really sick. Knowing that his nose had been broken before was sickening enough, but actually having to witness it? Blood was everywhere, but Viktor seemed to ignore it as he kept looking for the snitch. Hasssan Mostafa was too busy fighting with a now-bird-like-and-scaly-Veela who was throwing fire to notice that he was hurt.

_"Someone call a time-out!"_ a spectator near the camera cried out, while Bagman was saying the same thing. "Look at him! He can't play like that!"

_"Wait, look at Lynch!"_ a small voice, probably a girl, cried. The Irish Seeker was in a dive. "He's got his sights on the Snitch!" Viktor was instantly on his tail. They were drawing level as they drew towards the ground and—

BAM! Lynch ploughed into the ground again.

"Where's the Snitch?" Bagman asked, and everyone in the stadium looked around.

"Viktor's got it," I replied softly, listening as the entire stadium went wild. And that was the end of it. BULGARIA – 160, IRELAND – 170. Almost exactly how the American-Bulgarian game had ended, but 190 to 200. "Alana's good, but..."

"But no one could be better than him," my brother said, patting me on the arm. He stood up and swigged down the last of his beer, gently ruffling my hair again. "No even Alana. Remember that." And with that, he walked away, not even bragging to me about how Auburn won their game.

_Damn. I owe him twenty bucks._

* * *

**Hmm...what does Jason have up his sleeve? Leigh Ann doesn't seem to even understand the gravity of this situation!**

"Leigh Ann," came a small Southern voice, and I looked down to see my little sister staring up at me with a smirk in her olive green eyes. "Looks like it's up to us."

"Looks like it," I said, happy that she had come over to me to take me away from the crowd. I wanted to tell her what I'd figured out about Jason, but I knew that he probably wanted to keep that a secret, so I bit my lip and kept at our conversation. "But don't get your hopes up, Jess."

She smiled widely, showing off perfectly straight white teeth, although something about the smile was…_sinister_. "We'll wipe the pitch with you."

I couldn't help but smile challengingly back, looking down at her five foot five inches of height. "You wish."

"See you later?" she asked, stepping back, as if afraid to touch me. _That's strange… She's acting skittish._

"Yeah. You'll have to help me with Arithmacy."

She smirked again, my doubt in her suddenly abating. "See you then."

I smiled as I watched my sister mount her broom and fly off, ready to face the world as she always did. It was strange, seeing her walk away, because from behind, you'd never think that either of us were related. Just the confidence in which she held herself, or the look in her eyes made us both completely different. I'd _never_ be like her, but maybe that was a good thing.


	35. Interesting News

**In this chapter, you finally get some Leigh Ann/Viktor time! :D Plus something very, very interesting...(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! Only Leigh Ann and her brother, Jason.**

* * *

**Interesting News**

_**Viktor Krum  
**__**October 27, 1995  
**__**Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom**_

It had gotten to the point where it'd been rather annoying, actually. The "Music Room" was right across from his, and if he left his doors open, he could hear the music constantly, every other day at exactly ten in the morning, when he graded papers and went over his lesson plans.

One day, he'd gotten very, very curious, or perhaps annoyed. He finally tore off his reading glasses from reading over the _Fiendfyre_ essays of his Fifth Years, most of which weren't very good, (although Jessica Nelson's had been superb,) and stood up, unable to continue with the very loud music going on.

He walked out of his very clean room, across the hall, to where the door to room 16B was wide open. At the moment, someone was on bongos, really playing away, and he could see a few girls and boys with trumpets and violins and flutes, just playing away. He saw a bunch of girls dancing and just having fun, their bodies moving to the beat of the bongo drums.

"_Turn the beat around,"_ they were singing, _"love to hear percussion! Turn it upside down! Love to hear it, love to hear it…"_

Viktor leaned against the doorjam, glancing back at Colonel General Marie Lingam who was directing everyone's music and dancing. He recognized a few students, but most of them weren't in any of his classes. They were too old and hadn't stayed with it, like the few in his sixth year did. He watched everyone dancing around in their Muggle clothes for a little while, having as much fun as they possibly could, outside of regulation.

The music was fun and upbeat, though he wasn't sure if he liked the strange Muggle music. What was it called? Techno? Or was this just some strange musical trend? He wasn't sure. But then again, it was pretty nice as long as he got to watch Leigh Ann dancing around out there.

Leigh Ann was dancing next to her best friends Alexandra and Mary, but she shined more than either of the other two. Her short brown hair was done up strangely, and she was wearing some weird clothing, (as were all of them,) but it was interesting to watch. She and her two best friends were singing the melody and a group of other girls were singing in the background.

Leigh Ann stepped forwards and sang out, _"__Flute player play your flute 'cause I know that you want to get your thing off. But you see I've made up my mind about it, it's got to be the rhythm, no doubt about it, woah woah!"_ She started dancing in a way that made his mouth go dry and his pants tighten to a point that it was rather uncomfortable.

Alex and Mary started dancing the same way, though it didn't do anything for him when they did it, only Leigh Ann. They started singing, too, along with Leigh Ann as she still sang the melody. _"'Cause when the guitar player starts playing, with the syncopated rhythm, with the scratch, scratch, scratch, makes me wanna move my body yeah, yeah, yeah! And when the drummer starts beating that beat, he nails that beat with the syncopated rhythm, with the rat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat on the drums, hey!"_

Viktor smiled as everyone had fun with his fast-paced song, moving to the beat of the music and just being kids for once in this strict school. He wanted more than anything to be loose and free like all of them in there, but he knew that he had to get back to work.

_Hmm…very soon, I am needing to be talking to Leigh Ann…very, _very_ soon…  
_

_**Leigh Ann Nelson  
**__**November 1, 1995  
**__**Officer's Bunk**_

School had been going pretty well, if I did say so myself. I was the lead role in _Funny Girl_, so that kept me busy, as did Quidditch and football. I was getting all A's and B's in my classes, and I was super psyched about my application coming up for the American Ministry of Magic!

I'd just Apparated into my bunk, ready to take off my stupid stuffy clothes and take a nap, lay down onto that fluffy, warm pillow-soft bed, to wrap up in those cozy blankets, to keep myself nice and warm…

"You never toold me you could sing."

I jumped at the sound of his voice and turned, my wand out and ready, but it was Viktor, standing against my bedpost with his arms crossed over his chest. "Don't _do _that!" His dark eyes had that usual spark of lust that they held whenever they saw me, and I was instantly aroused, but I was scared at the same time. I had to take a few deep breaths to calm myself and started to put my Medical Potions and Remedies homework onto my desk. "How did you get in here, anyways? You have to have a password to get into my Floo, and only I can Apparate in."

It took a second for him to answer, and by the time he said it, I already knew. "Alex," we both said at the same time, and I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Of course." I finished unpacking my things, wondering exactly what he wanted. Well, I guess that I probably knew, but my "good side" didn't want to acknowledge it. But my slightly wild side, the one that always wanted to be around Viktor…it knew what he wanted, and oh, boy, did it want to acknowledge it. I started to turn around, glancing at his dark look from over my shoulder. "What did you—?"

But I was cut off by Viktor striding across the room, taking me into his arms, and pressing his delightfully warm mouth to mine. Was it bad that I instantly reached my hands up, tangling my fingers into his curly hair? Oh, yeah, his hair had gotten longer, just so you know. Enough that it curled around my fingers when I drug my fingers through it while I kissed him with as much energy that I could put into it, considering that I was bone-tired.

I felt his tongue gently flicker against my bottom lip once, twice, before he pulled away, his breathing slightly labored as I stared into his eyes. "I half been vaiting for that for a loong time," he said breathily, his dark brown eyes almost a complete black.

"Me too," I said softly, using my thumbs to gently caress every inch of his face. He'd been shaving more, lately, but he'd been letting his hair grow out. I noticed that he wore his Muggle clothes underneath the simple robes that he'd started wearing, and they suited him very, very well. I'd always known it, but my boyfriend was quite the looker. "I like your hair like this," I said as I gently rain my fingers through his curls.

"Vhen Quidditch starts oop again, I vill half to cut it." He smirked at the frown I gave him and gently kissed either side of my lips, making my frown turn upside down. "Boot I am glad that you like it."

He started kissing me again, in a way that made my toes curl and butterflies rile up in my stomach. So, maybe I should have slowed him down when his lips opened mine a little too early, or maybe I should have just ignored my better judgment because this was _way_ better than taking a nap, but I was having a pretty good time.

"Speaking of Quidditch…" I said around his kiss, "my first match is today…"

He smirked against my lips. "I knoo."

I felt his tongue line my lower lip, then my teeth, and suddenly it darted against my own, so I knew that I wouldn't be able to continue our conversation. I couldn't help but reach up and twine my fingers in his hair again, his hands landing onto my hips and holding tight. He growled from deep in his throat, clutching me so hard that I knew there would be bruises. But really, I didn't care. I just wanted to keep kissing him, to release all the stress that was bottled up inside of me.

He pushed me, hard, up against the desk. His fingers dug into the skin of my hips, his body pinning mine so that it was hard to breathe, but then again, that might have been from the kissing, too. Finally I hopped up onto the desk and pulled him between my legs, tightening my knees around his hips for a more comfortable position.

I pushed my body harder up against his, my breasts pushing against the expanse of his chest. But he had other plans. His fingers gently roamed between our bodies, unbuttoning the lowest button on my Officer's uniform, then the next, and finally, all of them, until he shoved the jacket off of my shoulders entirely. I had to pull away for breath, so he put his lips beneath my jaw and started doing that wonderful thing with his lips that he tended to do whenever his lips touched my skin. Somehow, I'd let him work on my shirt, too, and his hands felt amazing on the bare skin of my waist.

"Hey, Anna, I need some help with—whoa."

I gave a little shriek and dove for the cover of my bed, covering my partially-naked body with a large gold comforter. Viktor was standing behind my desk, embarrassment written on his face as he tried to hide the fact of his lust behind the hard wood. _Ooh, bad time for a pun._

Jason was standing in the doorway of my Floo room, his face stopped half-way in a sentence, his body frozen in mid-walk-and-talk. Slowly, as I situated myself and made myself presentable, Jason melted. He made one of those faces that people make when they're witnessing an awkward situation, and he let out a little whistle. "So-o-o did _not_ need to see that." He tossed a small packet down onto my nightstand, rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair, and muttered a soft,_ "Wow,"_ before going back into my Floo room and disappearing in a bunch of green flames.

The giggles started coming out before I could keep them in, and I rolled on the bed, my shirt flapping out beside me as I laughed. Viktor was looking at me as if I were crazy, but I couldn't get the shocked look of my brother's face out of my mind. "That was _priceless_!"

Viktor let out a pent-up breath, and I noticed that he ran a hand across his face, too, just like my brother had. "If you say so. It is a good thing that he knoos about us."

I was still laughing as I sat up on my bed and looked over at Viktor, who was leaning against the wall, a slight blush covering his cheekbones. He looked so cute, his collared shirt all ruffled, his curly hair sticking up around his head, and of course that blush against his cheekbones. "Definitely. I wonder what was so important that it couldn't wait for the game," I said, leaning over the bed to grasp the packet of paper's he'd laid onto my nightstand. It was kind of heavy, and it took me a second to open it without the letter opener on my desk.

"Vhat is it?" Viktor asked, perching next to me on the bed. I knew that I should have been uncomfortable with him right there, but I just couldn't be. I'd always been comfortable with him, and that was probably both a good and bad thing.

"I dunno…" I pulled out the papers in the packet, noticing a few magazines in there as well. "_David's Bridal… Kay's Jewelers…_ What the hell is this stuff?"

And then I decided that I might have known what it was, but I was very, very speechless about it. _"You know, Anna…I've been thinking lately…"_

"_Ooh, dangerous."_

"_No, I really need you to listen to this."_

"_Yeah? Must be pretty serious."_

"_Well…you remember that girl from the Triwizard Tournament?"_

"_Evangeline?"_

"_Yeah, her."_

"_What of her?"_

"_Well…things are getting a little…serious."_

"Oh my God and Merlin above."

**November 1, 7:59 P.M.  
****Quidditch Pitch**

Black and yellow, light blue and white flashed across my eyes, but I tried to ignore the blues and whites, at least. There was one thing I was looking for, and that was a small flash of brown, from the Quaffle, not the bright green of the magically-enhanced grass, or the bright blue of the late October sky. I had to dodge out of the way as the gold of the Snitch flew right past my nose, and I had to zoom out of the way before my Seeker, _Alana O'Malley_, and Air Force Officer Caitlyn Phelps zoomed past me, almost knocking me off my broom.

The crowd's noise was so loud that I felt my head would explode, and my fear of falling off of my broom or being kidnapped again made me want to stop playing, but I knew I had to play. For me, for my team. I had to—

_THERE_! I raced towards Officer Justin Lucas, dodging a Bludger, taking the ball from him and racing around to go back on offense. "_AND THE ARMY TAKES POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE!"_ I dodged the oncoming Air Force, getting grazed by a Bludger, almost getting blasted off of my broom when the announcer for the Air Force cried, _"PHELPS IS GOING FOR THE SNITCH! THERE SHE GOES, INTO A NOSE DIVE! IT'S THREE-HUNDRED SIXTY TO TWO TEN! IF PHELPS GETS THE SNITCH, IT'S TIED AND OVER, AND THE AIR FORCE WILL BE FACING THE NAVY NEXT MONTH!"_

_Not if I can help it_, I thought, my instincts set entirely on the match now. I dodged around the two Beaters, grasping my broomstick tightly and going into a barrel-roll. _Don't fall…!_ I caught myself and flew forwards, the Quaffle held tightly under my arm. _If I'm not careful, she'll be there in three…two…one—_

"_LEIGH ANN NELSON HAS DONE IT!" _cried the Army announcer, as the entire Army-sided stadium erupted in cheers, even as I pretty much fell to the field in exhaustion. _"EVEN THOUGH PHELPS HAS TAKEN THE SNITCH, OUR CAPTAIN AND HEAD CHASER, LEIGH ANN NELSON, HAS MANAGED TO SECURE THE WIN!_"

I sat my feet on the ground, ignoring the pounding of fists on my back. I was shaking all over, my heartbeat going a mile an hour. I shook my curly brown hair, wanting to leave the large group of people. It wasn't as if I was against winning—no, I plenty enjoyed that—it was the fact that I needed to actually get off of the field and go back into my room and cry. The adrenaline had been a little too much, and my heartbeat was too fast, and my memories were flashing too fast in front of my face. I knew that everyone wanted me to say something, and I also knew that they wanted me to throw a very large, very fun party, but I couldn't do it.

"Leigh Ann," came a small Southern voice, and I looked down to see my little sister staring up at me with a smirk in her olive green eyes. "Looks like it's up to us."

"Looks like it," I said, happy that she had come over to me to take me away from the crowd. I wanted to tell her what I'd figured out about Jason, but I knew that he probably wanted to keep that a secret, so I bit my lip and kept at our conversation. "But don't get your hopes up, Jess."

She smiled widely, showing off perfectly straight white teeth, although something about the smile was…_sinister_. "We'll wipe the pitch with you."

I couldn't help but smile challengingly back, looking down at her five foot five inches of height. "You wish."

"See you later?" she asked, stepping back, as if afraid to touch me. _That's strange… She's acting skittish._

"Yeah. You'll have to help me with Arithmacy."

She smirked again, my doubt in her suddenly abating. "See you then."

I smiled as I watched my sister mount her broom and fly off, ready to face the world as she always did. It was strange, seeing her walk away, because from behind, you'd never think that either of us were related. Just the confidence in which she held herself, or the look in her eyes made us both completely different. I'd _never_ be like her, but maybe that was a good thing.

I smiled at everyone on the team, but I noticed that we were one person short. _Wait a second…what is Alana O'Malley doing?_ I looked over at the 'perfect' girl, talking to…_VIKTOR!_ I had to control my anger as I slowly walked over, watching as the girl I was really starting to hate started to cozy up to my _boyfriend_. She looked perfect, still, even though we'd just played a really tough game. And I looked like a sweat-covered monkey…

My face was full of heat, maybe embarrassment, maybe fury, but I walked over to Alana and said, "Where the hell was your head out there?" _Ouch. That came out harder than I expected._

Both she and Viktor looked very surprised, but she had the gall to look as angry as I did. "What did you expect? It's my first game, for crying out loud!"

And so the rampage began. "That's no excuse. As a First Year, Harry Potter caught the Snitch in _his_ very first game! You're a Fifth Year, and an _Officer_! I chose you against my better judgment because you were good. So either I see you practicing in every second of your spare time on catching that Snitch, or you're off the team, because I sure as hell can find someone just as good as you." I had to stop myself before I kept going, because I then realized that I'd let my competitiveness not only on the field, but with anyone who talked to my boyfriend.

Alana gritted her teeth and threw her broom over her shoulder before walking away, her stomps as furious as I was.

I had to take a deep breath as I looked up at Viktor, who was looking rather surprised still. "Sorry about that, Viktor."

He took a deep breath and put a hand on my shoulder, trying not to show our "relationship," obviously. But I knew that he had to understand. "She is just beginning, Leahn."

_Of course. _That was the _last_ thing that I needed! "I don't need to hear this from you, too, Viktor! Or should I say _Professor Krum._" Did I storm off after that? Hell yes I did.

**Viktor Krum  
****November 2, 2:21 A.M.  
****Viktor's Room**

"V…Viktor?"

He rolled over, trying to stay asleep, though he knew that it was fleeting. He wanted to go back to his dream, where Leigh Ann had been in his bed, sleeping next to him, and he'd held her close, gently playing with a strand of that beautiful, chocolate brown hair…

"Viktor," her voice said sweetly, and he opened his eyes to see a dark room, her silhouette showing itself against the small light of the fire. "Viktor, I had a bad dream."

Viktor Krum sat up, looking at her beautiful, distraught face. "Leahn?" She nodded her head up and down, and he noticed that her entire body was shaking very badly. "Leahn!" He pulled her shaky body to his, wondering how bad a nightmare it could have been. She started crying into his neck, grasping his shoulders and holding him as tightly as possible. "Do noot vorry, Leahn, I am here."

"H-hold me," she whispered, shuddering in his arms. "P-please."

Viktor reached down under her legs and scooped her up, setting her in his lap and holding her tight. She'd lost a lot of weight, he knew that, and she seemed rather small in his arms. Well, at least compared to him. He slowly rocked her back and forth, smoothing her hair with his hand, placing soft kisses along her sweat-covered temple. He didn't think of her anger from earlier. To tell the truth, it'd been rather...attractive. She'd been possessive, and completely woman, and he'd never seen anything more spectacular.

Slowly, she started to relax, and her breathing slowed. He knew it was wrong to gently nudge her chin up and place a single, chaste kiss on her lips, but he couldn't help himself. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, her silk nightgown creating little friction between their bodies.

He couldn't let it continue. He _knew_ that this was wrong. So he pulled away and placed his forehead on hers, their heavy breaths mingling together as he looked into her green-brown eyes. "Viktor," she mewed softly, in a breathy voice, "c-can I sleep with you?"

Again, he knew it was wrong. If someone should do an inspection of his room in the morning, against his will, then they would find him and her tangled in the sheets, possibly doing something that wasn't exactly appropriate between student and teacher. So, of course, he said, "_Da_." He stood up and took her into his arms. She instantly clung to him, like a small child who was afraid. He took her around to the other side of the bed and let the sheet fall from her shaking body.

"_Gluposti_," he cursed as he saw how soaked her body was from fright, and how bad she was really shaking. He sat her down on the opposite side of the bed and mumbled a spell that changed her clothing into a dry nightgown, and he dried her hair, but he'd need a rag for her face. He Apparated into his bathroom, grabbed a rag, and was back out in a second.

She was asleep when he opened the door. Her angelic form was on its back, head turned to one side, one arm thrown to the side, the other across her midsection. The nightgown he had picked out suited her nicely, showing off her supple breasts and hips as she lay there and breathed through her mouth in a little _'O'_ of slumber.

He didn't want to interrupt the peacefulness, but he knew he had to when he saw her shudder and turn over. Just at that time, a stroke of thunder hit and rattled the windows.

Sighing, he weighted down the opposite side of the bed and pulled the covers over him, gently wiping the sweat off of her forehead using the rag. "Leahn, you vill be the end of me."

She sighed too, but in content, and rolled over into his arms. "Mhh…" she mumbled, wrapping one arm around his midsection.

He instantly froze, feeling his groin harden and ache. She snuggled up against his bare side and threw one leg over his, her head lying on one side of his chest. He wanted to push her away—_knew_ he should push her away—but he couldn't find the strength to.

"Viktor," she mumbled in her sleep, snuggling up as close as she could to his side. "I… _I love you._"

That made something in his heart instantly stop, his breathing stop…and all that he could hear was her words, over and over again in his mind.

_I love you…_

_I love you…_

"I…I loff you, too," he said softly, putting his face into her chocolate locks and taking a deep breath of the soft, sweet smell of her shampoo. "I do."

* * *

**:D**

**So? Please tell me what you guys think, I haven't had a review in a while and although I won't stop posting, I just really want to know what you guys think! Anyways, here's a look at the next chapter. Things don't stay lovey-dovey for long...**

"_Silly wizards...allowing Muggle filth into your midst!"_ a voice made up of twenty said before giving off a cackle. For some reason, I was frozen in my spot, unable to move. Maybe it was the fright of what was happening, or maybe even the memories. But Alex pulled me away quickly, to the backstage where most were cowering, others trying to figure out what to do, and still others who wanted to fight.

But the voice kept on.

"_Now, not only will the Muggles suffer, but your time will come too. Nothing good comes of blood traitors! Nothing!"_

"Show yourself!" one of the teachers roared, his voice filled with fury. "Whoever is behind this, so help me God—"

"_God will not help you, fool! And Merlin has turned his back on all of you for allowing this Muggle filth to steal our precious magic! Remember this message—you will all pay for what you have done!"_


	36. kyklos

**Hey, everybody! I'm sorry for the wait. But I think that this chapter will make up for it. Not only do you figure out who the bad guy is, (overall,) but you get some protective Viktor, too, which is usually pretty nice. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Funny Girl or P!nk. Viktor and Fanny (Barbra Streisand) and P!nk belong to what they belong to. I only dabble! (:**

* * *

_**kyklos**_

**Viktor Krum  
****October 23, 7:32 P.M.  
****Outside the Theatrical Auditorium**

Viktor was very, very curious any time he heard Leigh Ann's voice. It was different every time. Sometimes it was low and husky, sometimes it was a little higher and furious. It wasn't perfect—not , like he'd heard her sister's be a perfect soprano. Even Alex's voice had been a beautiful medium soprano.

"Alright, stop, stop," Marie Lingam's voice called through the music and Leigh Ann's voice. "It's supposed to speed up through verse three, Leigh. Give it a little more hesitation in the voice, more _staccato_, and don't look so terrified up there! It's all acting!"

"Yeah, Leigh Ann, relax. You're gorgeous," came a masculine voice, and Viktor instantly froze outside the doorway. _Who was that?_ "It's not like I'm actually trying to seduce you."

Those statements, along with Viktor's jealousy, made him want to rip the man's throat out. He slowly pushed open the door to the auditorium, surprised to find that it wasn't magically enchanted to keep noise and people out.

The inside of the auditorium was large, fit to seat hundreds of students, plus a giant balcony up top to fit even more. It was up to date with many Muggle technology and new magic upgrades. The stage was large, covered in a beautiful dark oak and thick, velvet curtains. At the moment the backdrop along the concave back wall was of a fancy dining room. A fancily-decorated mahogany table stood to the right, and a large lounge chair with only one armrest and half a backrest was to the right. There were too doors, a fireplace, and hundreds of flowers, all over the stage.

Viktor took a seat in the back, waiting to see what all of this was about.

Leigh Ann was sitting on the chaise lounge, her arms across her chest. She was wearing a very detailed dress, her arms crossed over her ample chest. It was a dark maroon color, gently conforming to her body and over her shoulders, leaving a dip between her breasts in the front and a very low dip in the back. She looked up to the man standing beside her, who was dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo, his black hair slicked back and his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. He sat one olive-shaded hand onto Leigh Ann's shoulder. "Relax, Nelson."

"This is the most awkward scene in the entire play," she scoffed, looking up at him through heavily-makeup-covered eyes. "It's kinda hard to _relax._"

Marie sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair. "Alright, alright. Deep breath, Leigh Ann. I'd rather this have never happened to you, but if you've been in an intimate situation with a man you're really attracted to, think back on that. Try to think of him when this is happening. But then again, I never said anything. We'll start from the laugh."

The lights went down in the auditorium, coming up on the stage only. Leigh Ann started laughing and hid her face into the couch cushions, while the man, (he was a student in Viktor's Eighth Year named Jack,) chucked at her laugh. "What's the matter?"

Leigh Ann looked up, tears of laughter in her eyes. "If I can't even tell when you're ordering roast beef and potatoes, when will I tell if you're making advances?" Her voice was slightly accented differently, almost disguising her southern accent.

The man smiled before taking a sip out of the wine glass in his hands. "Oh, don't worry, you'll know. I'll be much more direct." Viktor didn't think that he liked that. Suddenly music started playing and Leigh Ann sat completely straight up, her eyes wide and confused. "_You_," he sang taking a step towards her, "_are woman, I am man._" He had a deep, sultry singing voice. Leigh looked completely entranced as he walked towards her in a slow gate. "_You are smaller, so I can be taller than._" At this point he was standing directly over her. But instead of staying there and looking into her beautiful eyes, he sat down next to her, gently touching the back of her bare neck and dragging it down the opening of the back of her dress. "_You are softer to the touch..._" Leigh Ann gave a wary, uncomfortable smile as he pulled her closer, and she took his wine glass, downing the rest of whatever was in it. "_It's a feeling I like feeling very much!_

"_You are someone I admire,_" the man sung as Leigh Ann got up, opening a maroon fan and gently fanning herself with it. Jack followed her slowly, like a panther stalking his prey. Viktor was almost sick with jealousy. Leigh Ann stepped to the fireplace, looking into the mirror above it. Jack put his arms on either side of her on the mantle, leaning in to sing into her ear. "_Still our friendship leaves something to be desired!_" Leigh turned uncomfortably in his arms, still trapped in their cage. She pushed out of the cage, but not before looking into the man's eyes and seeming very, very enthralled by the attention. "_Does it take more explanation than this? You are woman, I am man—let's kiss!_" He pulled Leigh Ann towards him, trapping her body against the mantle, and proceeded to lean in and kiss her.

Viktor almost stood up and ruined the entire moment, but a knock sounded at the door on stage, and Leigh Ann pulled away, moving over to hold the chaise lounge for support. "_Isn't this the height of nonchalance,_" she sang softly, running her hands over the back of the chair, "_furnishing a bed in restaurants. Well, a bit of dinner never hurt, but!_" She started fanning herself with her fan. "_Guess who is gonna be dessert!_" She sat down on the couch and turned around to watch Jack and the butler furnish the table with delectable food. "_Do good girls do just what momma says? But when momma's not around, it's a feeling I like feeling very..._" She shivered, though Viktor could tell that it wasn't from pleasure, like he'd done to her before, but from unsureness. She quickly stood up and walked away from the couch. "Oi vey_, what a feeling!_"

"A bit of _pate_?" Jack asked, raising a small bowl towards her in a toast.

Leigh Ann laughed. "I drink it all day!" She looked around, as if for an escape, and started panicking. "_Should I do the things he tells me to? In this pickle..what would Sadie do! In my soul I feel an inner lack. Just suppose he wants his dinner back!_"

Jack came over and handed her a little cracker, gently running his hands over her shoulders before slowly walking away. Viktor couldn't help but feel utterly protective of his girlfriend, though he knew that he couldn't. He had to remember that Leigh Ann was just acting. But still, just watching this was pure _torture._

"_Just some dried-out toast in a sliver. On the top a...a little chopped liver?_" Leigh Ann shrugged and threw the little cracker behind her before looking around, gently skirting around the bed and the table. Jack started stalking her like prey again, his dark eyes smiling in amusemant. "_How many girls become a sinner while waiting for a roast beaf dinner, though!_" Jack grasped her hand, gently bringing it up to his lips as Leigh Ann laughed while singing. Jack backed her up against the arm rest of the chair and wrapped his arms around her. His lips started kissing against her cheeks, down her neck, and Leigh Ann bent her head back, just as she'd done for Viktor many times.

"_Most girls slip in ordinary ways. I got style—I do it _bordelaise_!_" Leigh started laughing in the way that she did whenever she was nervous, but Jack just kept kissing along her neck. Viktor wanted to go up there and show him how it was really done, but only before hexing him into the next country. "_Well at least you think I'm special—you ordered _à la carte. _It's a feeling I like feeling very..._" She pulled away from Jack and sat down onto the bed, but he followed her, gently kneeling behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders and kissing up the back of her neck. "_Feeling it deeply, down to my toes._" She gasped and turned her neck to the side, and Viktor could see in her eyes that she was somewhere else completely. Maybe imagining them together? "_No I feel that there's a fire here, try that once, a little higher dear. What a beast to ruin such a pearl! Would a convent take a Jewish girl?_"

Jack slowly laid her down on the chaise lounge, showing attention to the hollow beneath her throat, gently running his lips up her throat and to her ear, where he started nibbling. But then he pulled her up, looking deeply into her beautiful hazel eyes, and the lights started dimming. "_Does it take more explanation than this?_" he sang softly, barely a breath away from her lips as he looked into her eyes. Her breasts were gently pressed against his chest, and a sigh came as he leaned in and finally kissed her.

The jealousy that mounted in him as Leigh Ann's soft, pliant mouth moved against Jack's, his hands moving deftly up her curving body. Leigh's voice came into the room, like a thought moving through his head. _"Ooh, the thrills and chills running through me... If I stop him now..._" She slowly pulled away, her eyes confused. "_Can he sue me?_"

"_You are woman..._" Jack whispered, slowly leaning her back onto the chaise lounge.

"_You are man..._" Leigh's husky voice whispered.

"_Let's..._" And his lips brushed Leigh Ann's once more, but only before the lights went completely black.

The lights in the auditorium came back on, almost blinding Viktor. They also took away a part of his fury as he unclenched his sore, white knuckles. "That was amazing!" Marie cried, giving off a girlish squeal. "Leigh, you looked so perfect up there! You took my advice after all."

Leigh Ann's face was completely flushed. She appeared very embarrassed. "Yeah. I did." Though a sparkle was in her eyes, as if she were still imagining her other intimate moment. "It helped a lot. Not that you're not a great guy, Jack," Leigh Ann said, standing up from the couch/bed. "You are. But it's really, really weird."

"No problem, Leigh." The insufferable boy smirked, showing off straight, bright white teeth. "It's weird for me, too. But you've gotten better at play-kissing since your Third Year."

She flushed again, though this time with anger. "I'd hope so!"

He laughed, standing up and ruffling her done-up hair. "Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm just joshing ya."

"Alright," Marie said, stopping all further conversation. "That was an amazing run! After a ten minute break, we'll go onto the next scene."

Viktor knew that he had to get out of there before he was caught. All he knew was that he had to leave before he killed jack, or went and took Leigh Ann and claimed her as his. Because she _was_ his. And no one else could tell him differently.

**Leigh Ann  
****October 25, 11:59 P.M.  
****Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom**

He was sitting at his desk, only a single lamp lighting him as he worked. His glasses were right on his nose. I wasn't sure what exactly he was grading, but he looked adorable. Exhausted, but adorable.

Behind him, the floor-to-ceiling windows showed the dark, starry night. The clouds weren't covering the moon, which was completely full. The light of it and a few floating candles around him were lighting the space. He looked so amazingly adorable at the moment, with the shadows around him, and the big grandfather clock striking midnight.

"You should be een bed," he said suddenly, not looking up from his work as he wrote something down. "Eet is late." Did I like it that his English was getting better, or was I upset because he was loosing his accent? I wasn't sure.

"I know. And so should you." I stepped out of the shadows by the front door. He still wasn't looking up, so I stepped in front of his desk and put my hands on it. "Viktor..."

He reluctantly looked up, and in his eyes I not only saw his want for me, which happened everyday that he looked at me, even in class, but suddenly I saw a slight amount of...fear. "Leahn?"

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly, walking around the desk. I sat my hands on his shoulders, gently starting to kneed the tense muscles there. "You're so tense... What's wrong?" I leaned down and gently kissed his shoulder, wishing that he wouldn't be so tense as I stood there, trying to relax him.

"I am fine." He sat back and rolled his shoulders, giving me a few less knots to rub out.

I knew that he wasn't, but I didn't push the subject. "Alright. I just wanted to come see you before I was taken over by the winter play and Halloween." I was going to die if our Funny Girl practices started going past ten o'clock at night. Considering we started at six, (and I started at five, because I played Fanny,) my time was seriously taken over.

I was no Barbra Streisand—I could admit to that. The reason I was picked was because of my alto singing voice and my ability to laugh at myself. And the fact that I could pick up a dance move or two when taught kind of helped, too. The whole point of Funny Girl was that a person, no matter how un-beautiful for the time, or how challenging to would be for them to become something, they could. Talent alone was perfect for it.

Viktor frowned when I mentioned the play, and he placed on of his hands on top of mine., starting to pull me over "Coome here." He slowly pulled me onto his lap, running his hands up and down my back and over my legs. I leaned my head onto his, wrapping my arms around his neck as I gave his forehead a kiss. "I...saw soome of the play."

I pulled back, my arms still around him, and felt my eyebrows scrunching up. "Really?" No one was usually allowed in rehearsals unless they were in or helping with the play. "What part?"

His dark brown eyes seemed a little...upset. I wasn't sure if I liked that he'd just _walked in_ to rehearsals. "I theenk it vas..._You are Voman, I am Man._"

Of course it was. I felt his anger in the set of his muscles, wondering if he'd seen all of it, or just some of it. "I know that it looked bad," I sighed, gently caressing his jaw. His eyes were almost black with the anger that he held. "But I was just actin'."

He nodded stiffly, placing his face gently into my neck and taking a deep breath. "I knoo. It vas hard to vatch." His lips gently started to kiss my neck, one of his hands caressing one of my thighs and the other wrapping around my waist to get a better hold on me. "Hees hands vere all over you."

"It was just for that scene," I promised, loving the feel of his lips on me. Every time I had to do that scene, all I could think of to feel comfortable was to think that it was Viktor who was kissing me like that, not him.

"You think of me, yes?" I felt his smirk against my skin.

"So you were there for Marie to tell you that much, huh?"

He gently nibbled on my earlobe, his fingers massaging wherever they were. "I saw eet een your eyes."

"Hmm." We sat there for a few more minutes, listening to the ticking of the clock and the flickering of the flames in the fire. I felt so warm and comforted in those few moments that I felt like nothing could hurt me. I thought that I'd heard a noise at the door, but when I looked up, it was closed, just as it had always been. _It was nothing._ But then I remembered what I'd seen in his room, and I felt my face scrunching up a little. "Viktor?"

"_Da_?"

"When I went by your room to see if you were there, I saw bags. Are you going somewhere?"

He nodded a little, his thumb making circles on my thigh. He wouldn't meet my eyes. "I meent to teel you. I am leafing for a few days."

"Where are you going?" I asked softly, not wanting to pry, but wanting to know about him as much as I possibly could. I realized that he'd seen all of my life, but I'd barely gotten under his life's surface.

He smirked and gently kissed my nose, chuckling. "Do noot vorry, Leahn. Eet is joost a busy-ness trip. I vill be back before you knoo eet."

"Will you be back in time for the Halloween performance?" I asked reluctantly, knowing that the answer would be a no. And I was right.

"_He._" I frowned, but he kissed my lips softly and glanced at me with love. "Boot I vill vatch it soome oother time, _da_?"

It really meant something to me if Viktor was saying that he'd re-watch it from a recording. He absolutely despised Muggle technology, especially video recordings. But I did notice that he had a picture of the entire group of Champions from the Triwizard Tournament on his desk, which was Wizard-made, but it moved exactly like a Muggle movie. Only it wa smuch shorter and didn't have any words or color. So I didn't understand why he was so touchy about technology. But whatever.

I felt myself smiling as I nuzzled my nose against his. "Alright. Promise?"

"_Da,_ I do. I promees."

**Leigh Ann  
****October 31, 7:00 P.M.  
****Mess Hall**

"Alright everybody...places!"

It was All-Hallows Eve, and everyone was ready for a day off of fun filled with candy and a pretty amazing costume party. The Music class was putting on a show for dinner, and a rather creepy one at that. All of us were dressed as zombies and banshees and vampires and some of the c ast really _were _those creepy things! Our half-banshee was pretty creepy-looking at the moment.

"You ready for this?" Alex asked as she walked up to me, fully costumed as a siren and looking pretty damn good. I was glad that Viktor couldn't see my best friend like this, her chest all hanging out and showing everyone that she had a _very_ curvy body. I'd figured out very early on that Viktor was a breast man.

He'd had to leave a few days before the show, saying that he'd had some business in Bulgaria that he had to attend to. I wished that he was there, because last night, I'd had a bad dream. He'd said that any time I was scared and he wasn't there, I could come lay in his bed and think only of him and good things. _Too bad that I need your company, Viktor...your smell helps, too, to keep the nightmares away, but your warmth and comfort keep me sane._

I nodded and scrunched my curly hair a little more, wishing only for a second that my hair was long again, but I knew that it would take much too long to get it back to that length. I was dressed as a woodland sprite, one of my favorite creatures of the magical world. Green suited me nicely. "Sure am. This year's show won't disappoint!"

"Still think you look too cute for a _Monstrar el Diablo_," she snorted, standing over my dressing table and running her fingers over my hair as I put the finishing touches on it.

"It's not a _devil show_," I scoffed as I tried to hold in a laugh. "Its like your Day of the Dead, only we celebrate a little differently. _I'm _not the one dressed as a siren."

"You're still too cute."

I did have to say that I looked pretty cute. My little brown dress and green accents and makeup really did something to my eyes that made them pop. Or it might have been the magic that made my eyes a startling green. Whatever.

I about opened my mouth to say something, but suddenly the lights went completely out, as if we were ready to start performing. But we weren't ready yet!

"Hey, turn those back on!" Professor Lingam, (Colonel General Marie Lingam,) yelled to whomever had turned them off in the first place. But all she got as a response was the starting of some music. Everyone backstage started murmuring low, and Mary, Alex, and I followed Professor Lingam to side stage, where the curtains were open.

Slowly, from somewhere through the ceiling, people on strings were lowered onto the stage. "What's that?" Mary, next to me, dressed as a water nymph asked as she pushed her long golden locks over one shoulder.

"I...I'm not sure," I whispered as the people stepped onto the stage, starting to dance like..._like puppets? _All of them had face paint on, with bright cheeks, black lines on either side of their mouths, widening them, like dolls. The other half of them were like clowns. "But..." _They look like us!_

"_We walk around this empty house, tear us down, throw you out!" _they sang, dancing around in the strange manner of puppets. _"Screaming down the hall...spinning all around and now we fall!" _Strings actually held their arms up, pulling them around and making them dance.

"Something's not right, here," Mary whispered next to me, her baby blue eyes widened in fright. Some people turned out to be afraid of clowns and puppets... And Mary was one of them.

"_Pictures framing up the past, your taunting smirk behind the glass. This museum full of ash, once a tickle, now a rash!" _The crowd liked it, but some of the teachers looked very worried. Considering that all of the "students" on stage were also _backstage_, something very, very wrong was happening. _And Viktor isn't even here to help!_

"_This used to be a fun house,"_ they sang in a sadistically happy way, _"but now its full of evil clowns. Its time to start a countdown...we're gonna burn it down, down, down! We're gonna burn it down!"_ Something was _definitely _wrong with all of this, and I knew that something would happen as soon as all of the puppets started counting down from ten.

"_Five...four...three...two...one!"_

My heart dropped into my stomach the moment the entire stage erupted into flames. Luckily, I'd pushed Mary and Alex out of the way before the heat hit all of us full on. An evil, maniacal laugh filled the Mess Hall as students screamed and ran for the exits, but those were quickly sealed off as the fire grew. Teachers tried to get rid of this fire, but something kept it blazing strong.

Suddenly twenty or so white-clad figures flew out of the fire on broomsticks, all with tall, pointy white hoods and face masks. _"Silly wizards...allowing Muggle filth into your midst!"_ a voice made up of twenty said before giving off a cackle. For some reason, I was frozen in my spot, unable to move. Maybe it was the fright of what was happening, or maybe even the memories. But Alex pulled me away quickly, to the backstage where most were cowering, others trying to figure out what to do, and still others who wanted to fight.

But the voice kept on.

"_Now, not only will the Muggles suffer, but your time will come too. Nothing good comes of blood traitors! Nothing!"_

"Show yourself!" one of the teachers roared, his voice filled with fury. "Whoever is behind this, so help me God—"

"_God will not help you, fool! And Merlin has turned his back on all of you for allowing this Muggle filth to steal our precious magic! Remember this message—you will all pay for what you have done!"_ And with that, the fire and the white clad-figures disappeared.

"They only wanted to give a message," Alex whispered, her voice filled with fear. Although she was pureblood, this had to have been hard for her.

"Or a warning," I said back.

"OFFICERS," the General yelled in a voice that I could hardly believe came from him, "TO MY OFFICE, _NOW_!"

**October 31, 7:54 P.M.  
****Officer's Meeting Room**

"What the hell was that?"

"Merlin, what are we gonna do?"

"They could have killed someone!"

"We've got to get the Muggle-borns to safety!"

"The _Muggle-borns?_ We've got to get _everyone_ to safety!"

"Who _were_ those people?"

"EVERYONE, QUIET DOWN _NOW_!"

Well, that did it. Not only did the Officers quiet down, but they all sat down in their respective chairs, too. My brother, two seats away from me, looked pale, his jaw clenched, his eyes furious. Jessica, many seats down, had a mask over whatever she was feeling, so I couldn't tell her emotions.

The General looked furious, though. He was pacing at the head of the large, round table, looking a little more frazzled than I'd ever seen him be. Though suddenly he stopped, put both of his hands on the table, and shouted, "Nelson!"

The three of us at the table instantly stood up. "Yes, sir!"

"_First Lieutenant,_" he growled lowly, his ice blue eyes set on me. Jason and Jessica both swallowed hard and sat down, giving me glances that were either pity-filled or furious. One of the two.

"Y-yes, sir," I said softly, wishing that I could meet his eyes, but I felt pretty ridiculous, standing there in my woodland sprite garb. Not only did I feel ridiculous, but so many memories were running through my mind that I barely felt that I could speak!

"As Senior Officer in that music class," he said lowly, his eyes sparking in anger, "I want to know what the hell happened in there!"

It was true. As a Sixth Year Officer, I was the highest rank in my music class. Most years after six didn't have time to be in it. But, even so, I had no clue what had just happened. "We were getting ready to perform, and the lights went off early. Alex Velázquez and Mary Louis and Colonel General Marie Lingam and I all saw what happened from the sidelines. The fire started, and..."

"And?"

_Oh, God, don't make me say it..._ "I can't be sure, of course, sir. But those uniforms...they looked a lot like..." _Dear Lord, please help me keep my strength! _"The _kyklos_ has come back."

Very few people in the group even knew what it meant. Many Southerners did, though, and the females who understood looked faint. "Use _English_, Nelson! Damn!"

"_Kyklos_ is Greek for "Circle," sir." One deep breath, two... "I'm not sure if you remember the fifties at all, but almost fifty years ago, and even before that, in the eighteen-hundreds, a group of Wizards got the idea that blood supremacy was best. The Muggles had already had the idea, though a little differently..." When he still didn't look like he understood, I felt sick to my stomach. _He's going to make me say it!_ "Sir...in those times, the Wizard Ku Klux Klan was officially started."

* * *

**Uhm...weird plot twist, a maniacal mind, or a crazy writer who has too much time on her hands and has a penchant for U.S. History, the good and the bad? Maybe a little of all of that. I'm not meaning to insult anyone by using this, but I tried to think of a name for my group of Dark Wizards, and it just seemed right. I wanted to make a delegation of people sort of like England's Dark Wizards. **

**So anyways, what do you think?**

**Here's a piece from the next chapter!**

**Leigh Ann  
****November 10, 10:34 A.M.  
****History of Magic Classroom**

"The mail is here," CG Lingam sighed, setting down her pointer stick and sitting down at her desk. "Go ahead and read it. I'm not going to inspect it, kids, so don't worry. Your love lives are safe with me."

The kids laughed nervously. Ever since the attack on Halloween, everyone had been tense and waiting for something else to happen. All extra-curricular activities were shut down, even Quidditch and football. _Funny Girl_ and _Beauty and the Beast_ had been canceled for the time being. No matter how angry all of us were, the General was even angrier. Curfews were restricted even more, and every student was to be accounted for at every moment. Nothing like that could happen again.

I reached up and plucked the letter that carrier pigeon in front of me held. The Salem Witch Institute insisted on using them instead of owls, like England, and wouldn't even think about giving the students free rein on what animal they wanted to use. It was from my pen pal at the Institute.

_Dear Leigh Ann,  
__I'm hesitant to send this letter to you. Although nothing like that has happened here yet, strange things have been happening. Students are becoming secretive, and I haven't heard from anyone from any other Wizard school in the States. I'm sorry to hear of your predicament. Send my love to those students in the infirmary and the ones who have left from fear. Please be careful._

_-Yours truly,  
__Selene_

_P.S.  
__That butterscotch you sent me was simply delicious! Thank you for it, and I hope you'll send more next time. Adieu!_

I sighed and rolled the parchment up, taking an M&M out of my pocket and feeding it to the bird. Viktor wouldn't talk to me about this, so I had resorted to talking to Selene. Apparently none of the teachers were allowed to tell us anything.

I didn't see how that would help us if, in the end, it only hurt us.

* * *

**Reviews? I'd really like to know your thoughts on this chapter. The first part _and_ the second.**


	37. Happenings

**Ack, I'm lazy. This chapter spans a longgg time, (over a month,) and again, I'm sorry it's short. The next chapter is written. How many reviews can I get before I post it? (Because the next chapter is long and filled with Viktor goodness!)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Viktor is just a delicious man.**

* * *

**Happenings**

**Leigh Ann  
****November 10, 10:34 A.M.  
****History of Magic Classroom**

"The mail is here," CG Lingam sighed, setting down her pointer stick and sitting down at her desk. "Go ahead and read it. I'm not going to inspect it, kids, so don't worry. Your love lives are safe with me."

The kids laughed nervously. Ever since the attack on Halloween, everyone had been tense and waiting for something else to happen. All extra-curricular activities were shut down, even Quidditch and football. _Funny Girl_ and _Beauty and the Beast_ had been canceled for the time being. No matter how angry all of us were, the General was even angrier. Curfews were restricted even more, and every student was to be accounted for at every moment. Nothing like that could happen again.

I reached up and plucked the letter that carrier pigeon in front of me held. The Salem Witch Institute insisted on using them instead of owls, like England, and wouldn't even think about giving the students free rein on what animal they wanted to use. It was from my pen pal at the Institute.

_Dear Leigh Ann,  
__I'm hesitant to send this letter to you. Although nothing like that has happened here yet, strange things have been occurring. Students are becoming secretive, and I haven't heard from anyone from any other Wizard school in the States. I'm sorry to hear of your predicament. Send my love to those students in the infirmary and the ones who have left from fear. Please be careful._

_Yours truly,  
__Selene_

_P.S.  
__That butterscotch you sent me was simply delicious! Thank you for it, and I hope you'll send more next time. Adieu!_

I sighed and rolled the parchment up, taking an M&M out of my pocket and feeding it to the bird. Viktor wouldn't talk to me about this, so I had resorted to talking to Selene. Apparently none of the teachers were allowed to tell us anything.

I didn't see how that would help us if, in the end, it only hurt us.

**November 30, 10:49 P.M.  
****Viktor's Classroom**

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe like he was telling me to do, but all I could do was concentrate on him. The room no longer smelled like the old teacher, all feminine and light. Instead it was deep and masculine, a smell that only Viktor could produce, and it was intoxicating.

"Leahn," he said tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face, "I am seeing into your mind easily. You must concentrate."

I growled and opened my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. I was sitting on the floor in his classroom on a mat, still trying to improve my abilities to block people from my mind. My mind was starting to get weary—we'd been at this for almost three hours. "I can't concentrate with you standing right there!"

"You moost." He leaned down and looked me in the eyes, his a chocolate brown, mine a green hazel. "If ve vere to be attacked by—anyvone...you vould be the moost vulnerable." I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but he leaned in and gently placed a kiss on my lips. It only lasted for a second, but it still left me flabbergasted. "Now...clear your mind.

"Now I _definitely_ can't."

**December 5, 7:34 P.M.  
****Officer Latrines**

It was nice to feel the water rushing over my body. I'd had a long, hard day working with the Officers in field training, not to mention a mentally-taxing day with Viktor intruding into my brain. All six of us in that class were ready to collapse by the end of it—and it was only at ten in the morning.

I sighed and washed the soap off of my body before turning off the water and stepping out. I towel-dried my hair, wrapping my towel around me before I started brushing my hair. I passed Captain Jeanette McCurdy as she walked towards the showers, her tote in hand, and I said hi. Her mouth opened as she looked at me. Her things fell to the floor. "L-Leigh Ann..."

"Yeah?" I was pulling my wand out to dry my hair so that I wouldn't freeze when I went outside. Normally I did this in the locker room, but Jeanette had stopped me.

Her hand was shaking as she pointed me towards a mirror. "Uhm..."

"_What_?" I asked, looking at her in confusion. Maybe I'd gotten some shampoo on my face or something. I couldn't even imagine what it actually was. Well...until I looked in the mirror.

**General Harrington  
****December 5, 8:00 P.M.  
The General's Office**

The General rubbed his face as he looked at the mess in front of him. Not only was the girl's hair turned a bright red, but her scream had woken every beast in the forest and they were now rampaging the woods. _I'll have to send out the Rangers and get them to hunt a few down._ He sighed and looked at her.

First Lieutenant Leigh Anna Marie Nelson had always been one of his favorite students. Ever since she'd been in the Triwizard Tournament, and before that, she'd been on the top of his list. He pictured her becoming a leader in the American Ministry of Magic, or an ambassador for her country. Now he was looking at her with bright, fire-engine red hair and the word "WHORE" written in capital letters over her forehead.

"Do you know who could have done this, Leigh Ann?" he asked, cradling his face in his hands.

"N-no," she said shakily, her eyes filling with tears. "I-I trained with the Officers this morning, a-and with Professor Krum in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Then I went to take a shower and..._this_."

She'd already given him her shampoo, conditioner, and soap. The school nurse was looking at them, trying to find a way to reverse it. According to Leigh Ann, she'd already tried to get rid of it. All it accomplished was turning her hair a darker red and the words becoming upper cased.

"I didn't see anything happening during Officer Training," he said, making his fingers form a point in front of his face. He knew because he was the sole chaperone of that class—no one else would train his Officers. "And believe me, I would have." He sent a small wave of magic out, determining to find the source of this. "I have called Professor Krum in. Are you _sure_ that there is no source of this, Miss Nelson? Could it be petty female jealousy, or a classmate playing a prank?"

Her face paled slightly, her eyes widening, before her face became a mask. "No, Sir. I do not know who this could have been, or what I could have done to cause it."

"Good." _Though I'm not sure I believe you exactly, Miss Nelson._

A knock sounded at the door and the General bade Viktor inside. He was dressed in all black, his eyes showing nothing as he walked into the room and stood beside the chair that Leigh Ann was sitting in. He looked down to give a greeting, then jumped back a foot. "Neelsoon! Vhat happeened?"

"I would like to know the same question as well, Professor." The General couldn't help but notice the thick red blush that was put onto Viktor's face, as well as Leigh Ann's. He had his suspicions, but he wasn't going to say anything..._yet_. "I would like to know as well."

**Leigh Ann  
****December 25, 8:23 A.M.  
****The Nelson Family Ranch  
****Oak Ridge, South Carolina  
****America**

I knew that this had to be one of the best days of my life. I was lying in my very own bed back on the ranch, there was a light coating of snow on the ground outside, and I could smell gingerbread baking downstairs in the kitchen. _What a great way to wake up on a Christmas morning…_ I thought, but there would be one more thing that would be better, and I rolled over, ready to feel a warm, hard male body next to mine, but all I did was fall onto the hard, cold wood of my floor.

"_Ouch_," I mumbled as I got up off of my sore butt, untangling myself from the sheets. _Well, it's still a good morning…I think. _I stood up, took a deep breath of gingerbread, and was about to get dressed when a shriek came from downstairs. All I could think about was someone attacking my family, so I raced out the room, jumping over the stair railing and landing straight in the middle of the living room.

When I landed in the center of a scene, I straightened up with a blush. Everyone was staring at me as they held their presents, confusion on their faces.

"Leahn, are you alright?" came a familiar voice. I turned to see Viktor in his Bulgarian National Quidditch pajamas. He looked funny, standing there, holding a few presents in his arms while the soft light of the fireplace showed around him. The Christmas decorations looked funny, too, at least around him.

A hot blush covered my cheeks and I really wanted to disappear for a little while, especially with all of my family in the room. "I-I heard a scream…I thought…" _I feel like I'm being stared at for my hair and giant "WHORE" on my head again...damn, I'm glad that's gone!_

"Leah, you'll never guess!" came a small voice. I turned to see one of my little cousins running up to me, her eyes wide with excitement. "Santa came last night!" She was one of Rebecca's, my mom's _other _sister, and this little girl was half-blood like me. Theresa had short, bobbed red hair and the brightest green eyes you've ever seen. Some of her front teeth were missing. Other than that little fact, Theresa looked exactly like her mother, Rebecca.

I had six cousins. Rebecca, my mom's older sister, only had seven-year-old Theresa, and as Taylor had never married, she'd never had kids. The rest came from my dad's side. My dad's older brother, Samuel, had two kids, little eleven-year-old Jonny and seven-year-old McKenzie. My dad's older sister, Kate, (who wasn't here,) had the other three, although one of them was older than me, in college, and the others were fourteen-year-old Drew and ten-year-old Nathalie.

"No, Santa didn't come," Jonny, uncle Samuel's kid, growled, snatching away Theresa's present. We all flinched, ready for one of her loud screams of protest, but she just looked smug. Jonny looked like all Nelson men did at that age, tall and wimpy, but strangely aggressive. "I stayed up all night just to see if he did, and I didn't see—!" He paused as he read out the nametag with his wide blue eyes. "No way!"

I looked away before they could see the smirk in my eyes.

Little McKenzie gasped in her seven-year-old way and said, "There's one for everybody!"

Everyone, even the adults, looked around. Half of my family, the Wizard half, looked funny next to the other, Muggle half. Not to mention the fact that the wizard half had mostly bright red or bright blonde hair, while the Muggles were dark-skinned and dark-haired. Everyone picked up a present wrapped in a shining silver wrapping paper, a bright red bow tied around it. Each of them were various shapes and sizes, each one weighing different.

"Has everyone eaten?" I asked, grabbing the few presents that were under the tree for me. One was from "Santa", of course, so I didn't look suspicious, and a couple were anonymous. But the ones that I did see were from the my family and one very large, very suspicious box from Viktor.

Yes, apparently, everyone had eaten.

"Is everyone here?"

All of the smaller children started counting off everyone loudly, excitement in their eyes. But the older children and adults looked around, curious of who the Santa actually was. When my eyes connected with Viktor's, he smiled knowingly and I blushed. "Everyvone is here, Leahn," he said with a chuckle. "Go, children, open your presents."

There were squeals of joy as wrapping paper of many different colors was thrown every which way. I looked around to see all of the smaller kids tearing open their Santa presents first, their eyes going wide with the small treasures. Mostly it was small wizarding figurines that could be explained by mechanics, but little, quiet Theresa's gift was hanging over Viktor for the day. She, like many other girls, had fallen for the Quidditch player.

My eyes landed on my mother opening her gift. In hers was a small, perfectly-drawn picture of my father that I'd painfully extracted from an artist at school. (I'd owed her private singing lessons for two weeks, and my ears had completely died.) As he hadn't been able to be here that year, I knew that she was starting to cry, so I turned to give her some privacy.

Next I looked at my Uncle. He let out a slow whistle as he weighted the package of Columbian cigars in his hand. My aunt Rebecca opened up a box of miniature moving horses, which were secretly her favorite thing in the world. (The reason she married her husband, a horse breeder.)

I smiled softly to myself and leaned down to open my presents. First, the one from Santa so I didn't look conspicuous. The paper came apart easily, though I flinched at remembering all of the paper cuts from wrapping all of those presents. All I'd gotten myself had been a small, digital picture frame with moving pictures of Viktor and I.

I picked up another present, one of the anonymous ones, (because I knew that I couldn't open my family's because we had to open those in a few days, and Viktor would be in Bulgaria,) and slowly opened the plain black wrapping. Inside I almost squealed and threw the present away, but I caught the squeal in a hard cough and gently sat it down. _Geez! Who got me a gun?_ I slowly picked it up by the butt and carried the dangerous-looking black thing over to my mother, hanging upside down. She grimaced as I handed it over to her, and I went back and opened the card, seeing that it read _'Just in case.'_ The other presents I'd gotten had been a complete Quidditch set, which the kids had gone nuts over, a wand-cleaning kit, and my very own Nelson Jersey, which every Nelson kid got sometime after they'd turned eighteen.

I was scared to look over at Viktor as he opened his presents. I knew that he knew that it was from me, so I was worried what he thought about it. When I looked over, he was still staring at the box. But he picked it up and slowly opened it as if it were the most precious thing he had ever seen. He probably didn't know that I was watching. When he unwrapped it, there was a small box. He opened it.

His eyes widened when a soft melody came out of it, a beautifully carved Bulgarian snow-scape of Sofia, Bulgaria's capital. Inside I'd placed wizard and Muggle pictures alike of our time together. There were little taffy candies from the Fourth of July festival and my class ring in there, whereas he'd thought he'd lost it, I'd actually put it in this box for safe-keeping.

I picked up my few presents and went to sit next to Viktor. "If you open it from the other direction," I said softly, leaning my head on his muscular shoulder, "there's a sun-scape of Washington, D.C. To remind you of me." I looked up at his beautiful brown eyes, watching them dance in amazement as he wrapped an arm around my waist and gave my forehead a hesitant peck.

"You…you made this?"

I nodded, snuggling against his side. "Yup." _Three weeks of endless Charms and Transfigurations, yeah, but I made it._ "Do you like it?"

His large, callused hand gently cupped the side of my face, bringing my eyes up to his again. "_Da._ It is like you. Eentreeguing, deefereent." He leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine, much to the delight of Theresa and the other younger children, and I couldn't help but laugh as his morning stubble tickled my face and the children's giggles got contagious. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," I said softly, though it wasn't too soft right at the end when he grasped me around the waist and pulled me into his lap. "Viktor! _Not in front of the kids!_"

He wrapped his arms around my waist, chuckling as I struggled against his hard, warm body. "Stay. Bring over her present! I half her held." Was there something that I was missing? There must have been, because that huge present under the tree was being brought over to me by my brother and sister, and everyone was smiling widely.

"No, I told you that you didn't have to get me a present!" I exclaimed, struggling against him, trying to get away. I loved presents, yeah, but simple was best, and that thing looked huge!

"I did anyvays," he said smugly, holding me as tight as possible in order to keep me there. There was no way that I could get away, unfortunately. So I sat there in Viktor's lap as my siblings put the box in front of me. I sighed and made myself sit there and act as if I wanted the present. Secretly, I kind of did, because I wanted to know what he had gotten me. But I'd told him no, I hadn't wanted a present. And he'd gotten me one anyways.

On top of the big box was a very, very little box. I picked it up, aware of everyone watching me. It was small, with a tiny blue ribbon tied around the top into one of the most beautiful bows I had ever seen. I almost didn't want to open it—but I did. _Obviously jewelry. _

When I pulled off the ribbon and took the top off the box, I gasped out loud. _Its…its… _It was beautiful. I slipped the bracelet around my hand, watching the small, faceted giraffes, elephants, and lions dance around my wrist, their tiny gold surfaces glittering in the dim light. In between each of the animals was a small amber stone, wrapped in golden twine.

Tears sprung to my eyes, but I refused to cry, so I wiped my eyes with the heel of my hand. "Are you alright?" Viktor asked gently into my ear, kissing beneath it. "If…you do not like it…"

"No!" I said quickly, trying to turn around to look at him, but he held me in my place. "N-no, I love it." And, as I looked at it, I instantly wondered… "You made this, didn't you?" I asked in awe, looking up to him by craning my neck. The small blush on his cheeks and the pleased look in his eyes made me know. "Thank you. I love it." _I love __**you**__._ Strange thought, but yeah, I did love him! Why hadn't I thought of it sooner?

When I was near him, I got an urge to jump his bones, but it was more than that. My heart melted when he held my hand, and when he looked into my eyes, all I could think about was how much I loved being near him and hearing his deep voice with that adorable accent. _I...I love you, Viktor._

"Open the next one, loff," he said gently, giving my waist a soft squeeze and a gentle peck on my cheek. "You vill like more, yes?"

_How could I like this more?_ I wondered, pulling the bright red box closer. I started pulling off the paper when I noticed that something inside the box…_was moving!_ "What the hell is in here?" I asked at the smiles of everyone around me. I pulled open the box, which I then noticed had holes in it. And out jumped a little ball of white fur.

"IT'S A PUPPY!" I shrieked as the little ball of fur jumped all over me, licking my face and snuggling up against me with its softness. "Ohhhhh, look at you!" It was just off of its mother's milk, I could tell that, and it was small enough at the moment to fit in mine and Viktor's hands. Its fur stuck out all the way from its body, frizzy, and it had bright blue eyes. "Viktor…did you get this for me?"

"Do you like him?"

Now I _definitely_ knew that I loved this man. But how to tell him? "Yes!" I exclaimed, putting the fuzzball to my face to let him lick me. "What do we name him?"

Viktor thought for a moment before putting his cheek against mine, looking down at the dog as it hoped between my legs and played in the circle I created for him. "How about _Beliya Zŭb?_" he asked softly, his hands now on my thighs as he gently massaged them.

"Okay, okay," I heard Jason say from somewhere behind me, but I was still paying attention to Viktor, "now that that surprise is out of the way...I've got some news!"

I looked over at him, smiling. "What's that mean?" He'd been going back into his way of speaking a lot. Maybe that had been where he'd been the past few times he'd left he school, back to Bulgaria?

"_White _Fang, my loff." My heart almost jumped out of my chest when I heard him say that. All I wanted to do was kiss the heck out of him!

"Now, I know that this is kind of sudden, but..."

"I love it." Now…how to tell him that I loved him? Subtly, alone, or with him here? Or was the _man_ supposed to say it? I had no clue! I'd never known what love had been, but I couldn't be here without him, I couldn't be _anywhere_ without him. So I gently turned my face up, to look at him, and I gave him the softest kiss possible. "I love _you_."

"I'm gettin' married! I'm gonna be a dad!"

* * *

**Your mouth is touching the floor because of that last statement, yes? Haha! Happy Memorial Day!(:**

"W-with this ring, I thee wed." She was now crying, tears running down her peach-colored cheeks. I'd never seen something more beautiful as she slid the intricate gold band onto my brother's finger.

I was crying too. Viktor looked nervous and anxious, apparently trying to figure out why I was crying. I just held hand to the point that his fingers were probably broken. "You may now kiss your bride," the priest was saying, and I felt Viktor try to soothe me. Evangeline and my brother kissed very, very passionately, and I laughed past the tears flowing from my eyes. I about stood up, ready to hoot at my brother, but Viktor held me down.

He leaned over and gently kissed the corner of my lips. I looked into his brown eyes, taking a deep breath at the emotions that I saw there, and I felt that strange emotion in my heart that always happened whenever he was around, only this time it was stronger. "Leahn," he said softly in my ear, as everyone was standing up, clapping, going ecstatic as the bride and groom ran down the isle. The world stood still, our own little bubble slowing down, becoming quiet. And then he asked it.

"_Vill you marry me?"_

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**I want 37 to 40 reviews before I post the next chapter!**


	38. Changing Times

**Not as many reviews as I wanted, but it's almost my birthday, so let's get this party started! I'm so excited that I'm finally at this part of the story! I've had this written for FOREVER...no lie. There are a bunch of pieces that I haven't written yet, (sob!) so please bear with me as I churn these pages out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling probably wouldn't have made my character anyways. She's all of my own imagination!**

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**Changing Times**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
January 1, 1996, 3:30 P.M.  
Church of Christ  
Oak Ridge, South Carolina  
****America**

God, she looked beautiful. If I ever got married, I would want to look like Evangeline did right at that moment, where we were all standing for her, as the bridal march rang out through the cathedral, and she was marching down to meet my brother at the altar. Viktor was sitting beside me, as I wouldn't let him sit with the rest of our crazy friends and family, and he looked slightly uncomfortable in his Muggle suit. But I did have to say, he looked amazing.

My brother had tears in his eyes as he took his fiancé's hand, and I almost teared up at how beautiful they both looked. Jason had finally met the love of his life, and now they would be happily married. The idiot had a large smile on his face. I wanted to hug the idiot senseless.

The preacher cleared his throat as we all sat down, and I gripped Viktor's hand in mine as I tried to keep back the tears. He looked at me questioningly, but I just held his hand tighter. He gently rubbed his thumb against the back of my hand.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God—and in the face of this company—to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly." A French priest said the words again, the same exact way, so that the family who only spoke French could understand. "Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

If anyone had stood up to ruin this beautiful moment, I would have hexed them all the way to Timbuktu. But no one did, and Evangeline smiled brightly, looking vibrant in her bright white dress with the light blue satin ribbon around her waist that matched her beautiful eyes. She was still thin enough not to be showing her baby, but the glow of it still showed. (Needless to say, Mother hadn't been very happy that Jason had gotten a woman pregnant before they were married—though the thought of a grandchild pleased her quite a bit.)

"She's so beautiful," I whispered with a sigh, leaning my head onto Viktor's shoulder as the preacher droned on and on. _They must of chosen the long version so that they could look into each other's eyes longer,_ I thought with a small chuckle.

"So are you," he said back, his hand gently running over my dress-covered thigh. I blushed and was glad that the rest of the people in the pews were paying attention to the ceremony and not me. "You are, very mooch so."

I wanted to kiss him, but this wasn't either of our rooms back at school, nor was it my house. There were people around here who knew both of us and were a part of the school. I would have to wait until we were finally alone again.

"Do you Jason take Evangeline to be your lawfully-wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Jason smiled a watery smile, and I knew in that instant that he was in love. "I-I do."

The priest turned to Evangeline. "Do you Evangeline take Jason to be your lawfully-wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

She smiled brightly, blinding all of us with her beauty, making Jason catch his breath. "Oui," she said shakily, tears falling down her face.

Little baby Nicole was then carried over to them, as she was the ring bearer, even though she wasn't a boy. On the blanket in her lap were the beautiful rings that Jason and his soon-to-be wife had picked out. Nicole was sleeping through all of this beauty.

Jason and Evangeline picked up their rings. "May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May these rings on their fingers symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts.

"Jason, in placing this ring on Evangeline's finger, repeat after me: Evangeline, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward—"

"Evangeline, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward..." He smiled to her shakily, as now she was starting to tear up too.

"—and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"...and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed." He then slid the beautiful diamond onto her thin, beautiful finger.

The Minister then turned towards the beautiful bride, smiling to her. "Evangeline, in placing this ring on Jason's finger, repeat after me: Jason, you are now consecrate to me as my husband from this day forward—"

"Jason, you are now consecrate to me as my husband from this day forward..."

"—and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"...and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity."

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"W-with this ring, I thee wed." She was now crying, tears running down her peach-colored cheeks. I'd never seen something more beautiful as she slid the intricate gold band onto my brother's finger.

I was crying too. Viktor looked nervous and anxious, apparently trying to figure out why I was crying. I just held hand to the point that his fingers were probably broken. "You may now kiss your bride," the priest was saying, and I felt Viktor try to soothe me. Evangeline and my brother kissed very, very passionately, and I laughed past the tears flowing from my eyes. I about stood up, ready to hoot at my brother, but Viktor held me down.

He leaned over and gently kissed the corner of my lips. I looked into his brown eyes, taking a deep breath at the emotions that I saw there, and I felt that strange emotion in my heart that always happened whenever he was around, only this time it was stronger. "Leahn," he said softly in my ear, as everyone was standing up, clapping, going ecstatic as the bride and groom ran down the isle. The world stood still, our own little bubble slowing down, becoming quiet. And then he asked it. "Vill you marry me?"

**January 1, 3:53 P.M.  
The Nelson Family Ranch  
Oak Ridge, South Carolina,  
America **

"_Vill you marry me?"_

My heart was pounding so fast that I thought it would beat out of my chest. I took his hand and instantly Apparated back to the ranch as soon as the church had been emptied. "Viktor..._what?_"

"Vill you marry me?" His eyes were full of vulnerability—I could easily say no, and his heart would break. He was trusting me to hold that vulnerability and make it strong—with me by his side. "You vonce told me that you loffed me-"

"That was last week, Viktor," I said softly, trying to grasp a hold of this situation. I was so happy that I could do a jig right there, but then again, I was worried. I was _eighteen_. I'd always been taught this line since I could speak: "High School, College, Work, Marriage, Family." I was skipping the "College" and "Work" parts and going straight to "Marriage?" No!

So, that question was what started our very first big argument.

"Viktor...there's so much, I-I mean—"

He placed a callused finger over my mouth, silencing me. "You half been hiding us vell. Boot I think that ve half been seen together. I know of no other vay to proclaim my loff and half it returned. You told me vonce, long before last veek, that you loffed me. You may not remember it, but I do. I vant to get married een Bulgaria. Ve vill live there, after you finish your schooling, and—"

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, holding my hands up in front of him. All of it was just a little too much to handle at the moment! "Married in Bulgaria? _Live there_? Viktor, my family is here! Slow down a little!"

He smiled softly. "I loff you, Leahn. And I half planned thees for a vhile." His hands gently cupped my face, his thumbs running over my cheekbones. "I theenk since I first met you, I half been vanting to marry you."

"I don't believe in love at first sight," I felt myself saying, and it looked like he was stung a bit by those words. "My answer, Viktor...I have conditions."

He leaned forwards and kissed my lips. "Anything, my loff."

I felt tears in my eyes, because I knew that this wouldn't be something we could just negotiate and be done with. It would take a while to convince him. "I want to be married in America, Viktor."

He instantly stiffened and stepped back. His face was hard, his eyes flashing angrily. "No."

"Damn it, Viktor!" I pounded one fist on his chest, trying to get through his hard exterior. "Please, let me be married here!"

He shook his head and clenched his jaw. I could see a vein throbbing in his neck. Apparently he wasn't going to answer me. "It is Sunday. My cloosest friend, Ivann, he is at your father's vork as ve speak. He vill ask your father for his blessing. And then your father vill ask if you vant to be married to me. Three times." His jaw was set so tight that I thought he would break a tooth, and by the creases in his forehead, he was furious.

_Oh, no, I've insulted him._ I stepped forwards and gently put my hand to the side of his face, dragging my thumb across his cheekbone. "You know I do. I love you, you know that."

He grabbed my wrist and sat it down by my side. "As soon as you half said yes to him three times, you and I vill be eengaged. Ivann is telling him this. A portkey has been arranged, and a few close friends of the family vill be invited over to the house for a small celebration."

_I…I'm not going to get a ring?_ I wondered, becoming very confused. I wondered if he knew how much a ring would mean to me. I started to move away from him in shock when he started talking again.

"Boot," he said, his eyes glinting slightly black, a small frown appearing on his face, "I know your coostooms in Amereeca. Men give their women rings, _da_?"

"Yes," I breathed, feeling my eyes well up with tears. Happy ones, of course. Or at least that was what I told myself. _This discussion isn't over, Viktor. I don't believe I've said yes yet._

Viktor bent down on one knee, reached into his pocket, and grasped my left hand in the same moment. When he slid the ring onto my finger, I never thought I would be happier. It was very simple, but it fit my finger perfectly, with its thin golden band, and the perfectly-sized diamond surrounded by two smaller amber circles on either side. "There is vone condition for this ring, Leigh Ann," he said in all seriousness, putting his lips to the small diamond.

"Anything," I breathed, wishing that he would stand up so that I could kiss the heck out of him.

"You vill finish school before I marry you."

Instantly, my blood ran cold, and all I saw was red. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on top of me I snatched my hand away from him, feeling it balling up, as well as its partner. "You want me to wait _three years_?" I asked furiously, feeling the red hot heat of fury run through me. "Three _years_?"

He looked confused, as if I'd said it in a foreign language. Technically I had, but he knew this language and I was _so_ pissed. "Leahn, I—"

"Don't you dare give me those puppy dog eyes," I growled, my hands trembling. I knew that I wouldn't strike him, but it was sounding pretty damn good at the moment. "I love you, Viktor, and I want to live with you, to wake up to you every morning and eventually give you children."

He ran the back of one of his hands against my face, staring at me as if I were something to eat. "Hmm…"

_He wants children, too. _That thought made the butterflies in my stomach grow, but I knew that I had to tell him the reason why I couldn't wait that long. "Merlin, I love you, but I do have a promise, Viktor, and if I have to wait for three years before I can sleep with you _in our marriage bed_, I don't think I'll be able to do it."

"Vhat do you mean?" he asked, his teeth clenching and his eyes going the darkest black I had ever seen them. I'd never heard this tone of voice from him, the soft, menacing tone of someone put over the edge. He stood up from his kneel, and then towered over me, standing so close to me that his heat radiated against my body. "You vould sleep vith different man?"

"No!" I gasped, horrified that he would even make that assumption. "How can you even think that I would _ever_ do that?"

"Vhat you just said told me _enough_," he growled, gently but firmly pushing me back up against the wall. "If vhat you vant is sex, then I vill gladly give you vhat you vant. I loff you, and I vant you to have everything you vant, and I vant you in every vay possible. But I vant you in school."

My mind instantly was fogged over. Images of his body flashed through my head, sprawled over a bed, or a couch, or the floor on a fur rug… His hips rocked against mine, and I gasped as I felt how large he was against me. He shifted slowly, back and forth, making my head fall back and a moan come from inside. He growled from deep in his chest, forcing me harder into the wall.

He leaned down and gently led light, feathered kisses along my neck and collarbone. This alone sent my heartbeat fluttering away. "You vill vait for marriage, in exchange for myself?"

"N-no. I-I will not make love with you, Viktor, not until we're married."

His teeth firmly bit down on my pulse spot, but I held back the cry I wanted to give. "And I vill not marry you until you finish school," he growled, setting his hands on my waist and pulling us together again. I felt the bulge on his woolen pants against my hipbone again, and his eyes were so dark that I knew what he wanted. It was the same as what I wanted, especially when he started sucking on my spot and massaging my lower stomach with his thumbs, making me bite my lower lip to keep from giving the moan that wanted to come out. "So it vill happen now."

"P-please, Viktor, don't make me break my promise," I whined, feeling the passion condensing in my womb as he started nibbling again, moving up to work on my ear. "I want to...I want to _w...wait..._"

Viktor's kisses moved up to under my jaw, slowing down. "I loff you…"

"I love you too, but I don't want to wait three years." I put my hands on his perfect chest and pushed backwards, making him step back and his nostrils flare. I had to take a few deep breaths before I could start talking. "I can't do this now, and I _can't _wait three years. My maximum time is a year."

"Two," he growled, grasping my upper arms with authority. "I vill not half you missing out on anything you may need to knkow. You vill learn everything you need to, to fight the Circle. _Two_."

I loved this side of Viktor, the one that took control and demanded things. The protective one, who wanted me to be his and no one else's, who I was sure would be a wonderful lover when the time came.

But not right now.

"One, Viktor, or I'm sorry, I can't marry you," I whispered, feeling a tear fall down at last as I looked up into his now-chocolate eyes. The black was gone and filled with horror and fright. "I won't be able to resist you for three years, which will break my promise to myself and to God. I won't be able to marry you if we wait."

"Do noot say that, loff," he begged, releasing my bruised upper arms and tenderly cupping my face. He leaned forwards and placed the most gentle, loving kiss I had ever felt on my lips. He put them on mine again, and again, and again frantically, as if I would never forgive him ever again. "Oh, no, please do not."

"Tell me you love me," I whispered, trying to get my breath back after the barrage of kisses.

"I loff you."

"You love me, but you won't let me have what I want!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him to me. I felt like a child, whining for what I wanted.

I was scared - scared to marry him, scared to be his wife, scared to fail him. And you know what? I was scared about making love, afraid that...that I wouldn't be good enough for him. _The whole "waiting for God" thing isn't really my issue, Viktor._

He slowly wrapped his arms around my shoulders, putting his head in my hair. "You can't just change your mind and decide that you will make love to me so that I'll wait to marry you. No, we both decided that we would wait, but I never told you that I would wait _that _long." I looked up, my chin in his chest, to meet his eyes. "Marry me sooner."

"Vone year?"

"One more year of school, I promise." I quickly had to choke out, "I'll even let you choose the wedding sight."

His eyes widened, shining. "You…you vill leaf alone the thought of getting married in America just to marry me sooner?"

"Merlin, you're dense! I would get married in a cardboard box tomorrow at the courthouse if I could be with you forever. We'll be married either right after school gets out, or before the next new year starts." I twined my fingers with his and smiled up to his happy face. "What do you think?"

"Bulgaria is beautiful in Vinter, Leahn," he said, softly, his thumbs running across my cheeks as he smiled, showing off those beautiful straight white teeth. "Vinter?"

"But—you know I hate the cold, and—"

"_Charms_, my loff, _charms_. And ve can half the reception vherever you vant. Normally, it vould be held at my own house, but you half given up enough, _da?_"

"_Yes!"_ I felt tears of happiness appearing in my eyes, and I leaned up to softly kiss him on the lips so that I could show him my gratitude. I felt my hands trailing up his shirt, to land on the strong muscles of his shoulders. His hands landed to massage my waist. He slowly parted my lips, tilting his head to the side to slow it down but make it so that my insides would never quit burning.

He slowly pushed me against the wall, pulling me against him in the same movement. _God, I love you. You're going to be mine._ His lips were rough in texture, but soft in movement, at the moment, needy, but he knew that he needed to take it slow. His stubble was rough like sandpaper against my skin, but it added into the pheromones that he was giving off. I could feel his love for me in every brush of his lips.

I slowly pulled away, trying to catch my breath. I'd had the possessive kisses, the ones that were so heated that I knew what was to come afterward. But _this_ kiss, the one that we had just shared, had been so full of love that I never thought I'd want another one that wasn't like that.

"_That,_" I whispered, reaching up to run my thumbs across his ever-thickening stubble, "is why I can't wait three years."

He gave me one more soft peck, taking a deep breath as he did so. "I know. And I hate to ruin the moment, butyour teeleephone, it is ringing."

I smiled and pulled out of his grasp, having to take a deep breath when our bodies rubbed provocatively together. Then, moving over to the side table, I took a deep breath before answering with a weak, "Hello?"

"Hello, sweetheart," came the voice of my father. I rolled my eyes and looked at Viktor pointedly.

"Who is it?" Viktor asked.

I thought, _You know who it is, _as I answered with, "Hi, Daddy. What's up?"

"I just wanted to hear how the wedding went. I'm sure that Evangeline was lovely." I knew that he'd been there—he just had to be hidden because he'd been deployed. He'd said that with "magic" in the family, there was no _way_ he was missing his only son's wedding. Besides, he had to beat Jason for getting his girlfriend pregnant before they'd gotten married.

"It was beautiful, Daddy. How are you, how was your day?"

"Let's just say that I got a very interesting visitor at the office earlier today."

I raised an eyebrow at Viktor, who came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, leaning his chin on my shoulder. "Oh, really?" I asked, twirling the curly phone cord around one finger. "Who?"

"Some man named Ivann, asking about your hand in marriage for one Viktor Krum." I could hear the smugness in my father's voice. "Do you want to marry this man?"

"Of course," I said, laughing. _One down. _"I love him, Daddy."

"And at this wedding that you supposedly want, I get to walk you down the aisle, right?"

"Uh, you're my father. Of course you'd walk me down the aisle. And _yes_, I want to marry Viktor Krum!" _ Two down, one to go._

"Oh. Well, you know you'd have to bring him over for your grandparents to meet him, right? And then your aunts."

"Gamma and Gampa have already met him. What are you—" And then it hit me. "O-oh. You mean for Mom's parents to come and meet him."

"They're your grandparents, too, Leigh Anna Marie. Don't use that tone of voice when you talk about them."

I felt like I wanted to throw a mini tantrum, but it was too nice in Viktor's arms. I still complained to my father, though. "I haven't seen Grandmother Sandra in at least five years, or since I went away to The Academy. And Grandpa Urey hasn't contacted me since I was six! Why should they be able to give any input into my relationship?"

"Because apparently you want to marry this man, that's why. Your mother loves her mother, even if you don't enjoy seeing her very much. Even if _I_ don't enjoy seeing her very much. It's the point."

"I don't know how many times I have to say this, Dad, but I want to marry Viktor and you trying to subtly persuade me isn't going to do anything to stop me from doing so."

"Great, so I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?"

"Yeah, all of the magic people are coming over."

"You mean the wizards and witches." I figured that he would have stayed for Jason's reception, (which, I thought with regret, I was interrupting with my engagement party,) but he'd gone straight back to work.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't make me regret giving Viktor my consent. I know he's listening."

"Do noot vorry," Viktor said, moving his mouth closer to the receiver, talking a little louder than need be, "I loff your daughter, I vill not hurt her."

"You'd better not. Just remember that I'm not afraid to go back to jail."

"He's never been to jail," I muttered to Viktor, rolling my eyes.

"That's what _you_ think," my father said, and I only doubted him for a moment before I remembered that he was always trying to pull my tail. "Love you, Annie-bug."

"Love you too, Daddy. See you in a few minutes."

"Bye." And he hung up.

I let out a deep breath, leaning my head back against Viktor's chest. "Okay, warnings about my grandparents and my aunts. You've already met one, but hey, what can I say? My grandmother on my mom's side is pureblood, and the strictest, richest woman you've ever met. Be polite, don't put your elbows on the table, and say as little as possible and she'll like you. You've already met my mom's sisters, both of them. Ah…my dad's sister is probably not going to be here, we don't talk about her very much…"

"Vhy?"

"She…ah…well, I'll tell you later when we have more time."

"Ah. Vell, my grandmoother is almost the same as yours," Viktor said into my ear, squeezing me. "She is loffing, though strict, but she is still pureblood. She vill loff you, but she might vant you to change cloothing. For the Bulgarian releeteeves, and it vill help her to loff you more. She is also alvays early. My other grandmother, she does not know English vell."

"I can respect that," I said, nodding my head. But then, I was starting to wonder… "Have all of my magical friends been invited as well?"

"_Da_. Taken care of. As vell as the small girl…ah…Rebecca."

I quickly pulled away from his arms, giving him an incredulous look. "B-but Rebecca and her family don't know about magic, Viktor! We'd be breaking dozens of rules—"

"Rebecca now _does _know," he said with a small smile, laughing softly. "Her leetal seester goot a letter to the Academy."

"Oh, I forgot! So little Sarah is a witch and into the Academy? I hope she makes the Army." Before I knew it, I was babbling away about the Academy again, like I always did. Though now, it was different. In less than a year, I wouldn't be going anymore. I would be married, with a home to take care of and a man to cook for, to love, to hold, for richer or for poorer—

When I laughed, Viktor looked at me strangely. "Vhat?"

"Nothing," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and looking into those eyes that I fell in love with. "Just you."

"Ees there soomething on my face?" he asked, playfully leaning forward and kissing my nose.

"No," I sighed happily, pulling him towards me and getting rid of the space between us, so that I could touch our noses together. "I was just thinking that in less than a year and a half, we're going to be married. You are going to live with me…" I leaned up and gently kissed those full, luscious lips. "You'll eat my cooking…"

He gave a lustful, "_Mmm…_" that sent my pulse racing when I kissed him again.

I started listing off many things that living together included, but when I said the last one, "We'll sleep in the same _bed_ together…" he pulled me tighter against him for the next kiss and took control of my teasing. I squealed as he playfully bit my lip.

I got lost in his lips, in the way that he took my breath away, and the way that his hands made magic against my body. He picked me partially up, sitting me on the back of the couch near the table where the phone was and moving his hands up and down my waist, moving them lower so that they could subtly move my legs apart.

I could get used to this position, where we were the same height, my legs around his muscular waist, fighting for dominance with our mouths, nipping, teasing. The only thing I wished that I could do was grasp his hair and force him to do what I wanted, but his hair still wasn't long enough—I was so upset that he'd cut it again!

Suddenly a loud _POP_ filled the air, and I gasped, falling backwards onto the couch cushions. I felt heat filling my cheeks, and I meekly looked over to see an older woman, around my grandmother's age, standing near the kitchen archway with a disapproving look on her lined face. She was tall and thin, like most women of her financial stature seemed to be, and she looked disapprovingly at us. Her hair was thick and completely white, straight down by her fur-lined sides.

Viktor said a word that must have meant "grandmother," and she looked at him with piercing chocolate eyes that were much like his. She completely ignored me and talked to Viktor, asking him a question. He responded gently, trying to calm her down, but she really didn't seem all that angry.

"Leahn," he said gently, grasping my arm. He pulled me from the couch, moving me to stand by him. He kissed my temple and held me close, gesturing to me as he said something to his grandmother.

I was so confused. "I-it's nice to meet you, ma'am," I said softly, and was startled when she spoke to me in perfect English.

"Do not stutter, girl, it isn't becoming," she sneered, and she held her gold-encrusted purse closer to her, as if I would snitch it. "I am Liliyana, mother of Viktor's father."

I held out my hand and shook her somewhat extended one, not missing the threatening squeeze that she gave me. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am," I repeated.

She looked me over with disgusted eyes, wiping her hand on her side. I had to keep my teeth clenched to keep from yelling. She turned to Viktor and asked him a question in her native tongue, raising one perfect eyebrow. Viktor flushed a deep red, his grip on me loosening. I heard him say "no" in Bulgarian, but I missed the rest.

I was getting rather annoyed that he was talking in another language and I couldn't understand him. "Viktor, could you both please talk in English?"

The woman's eyes pierced me like a knife. "If you would like to know, you nosey little cretin, I was asking him if you were pregnant."

I gasped and put a hand instantly to my stomach, glad to feel that it was still its normal pooch of fat. That was when I got angry. "That would require me to have slept with him, then, wouldn't it?" I asked, and she looked moderately surprised. But then she smiled, and I knew that she was thinking that I was stronger than I looked.

"Very good, child. You may hold up in our family after all." She then turned, sniffed the air, and snapped her fingers. A small, dirty house elf appeared in front of her. I started shaking as I watched the pillow-case-clad being bow to...to its _master._ I only saw red. Viktor, on the other hand, grasped me tightly and held me there, waiting until his mother directed the house elf to the kitchen and it was out of my sight. Liliyana noticed my anger. "Have something against house elves?" she asked innocently, batting her face eyelashes.

I gritted my teeth. "Not at all, _madame_." My mother had never condoned house elves—not since she left _her_ mother's presence. She'd always found ways to give the beings clothing so that they could be free and live happily. Now all that I wanted to do was give that poor creature a sock or something. Or an entire wardrobe.

"_Bon._"

And then that was when my own grandmother Apparated into my house. She and Viktor's grandmother looked so alike that I had to rub my eye and look at her again. The only difference was the pale color of my grandmother's skin and the ice blue eyes. She was also shorter.

She looked around the room, and, when her eyes found mine, she smiled brightly and held out her arms. "Anna!" she exclaimed, picking me up and choking me in a hug. "Oh, dear Anna, it is so nice to see you."

I, for one, was shocked. "Uh...hi, Grandmother Sandra," I said, still feeling slightly out of my own skin as my grandmother pulled away. She smiled with perfect while teeth, her expensive clothes fitting her thin body perfectly. Her hair was pulled up and around her head, in a large, fancy-looking bun. "How are you?"

"I just came to see my granddaughter's engagement party. Oh, to think, a marriage, then an engagement! What a wonderful time!" she said sincerely, at least until she saw who I was getting married to. "Oh. Is this him?"

I was so full of anger from _his_ grandmother, I didn't think that I would be able to deal with my own. "Yes, this is my fiance, Viktor." I reached behind me to grasp his hand. He squeezed it encouragingly.

He smiled to my grandmother and said hello, and she stared at him disapprovingly. She walked around him, looking him up and down, even touching his arm. "Hm. Well, at least he's pureblood. And he _is_ rich."

"Grandmother!" I exclaimed, wondering how in the world two of the rudest people could be located in the same room. Viktor, next to me, was beet red.

"I am only saying what I mean," she said, sticking her nose in the air. Then she noticed that we weren't alone, and she looked to Liliyana with just as much disdain. "Oh, my. Lilyana Krum."

"The name 'Krum' isn't as widespread as yours is, Reynolds," Lilyana said, venom in her voice. _Did she just call my grandmother a...?_ Ohhh, God, there was going to be an old lady fight in my house, right before my engagement party.

"Viktor," I whispered, feeling myself start to fill with anxiety. "Should we do something?" The two were standing there, vaguely insulting the other.

"No. Our grandmothers, they know each other."

"I kind of figured that," I sighed, and then I was even more dismayed when another elderly lady Apparated into the room. I felt that it was getting too small. This one was short and rather curvy, her short, grey hair pulled up and around her head in tight, white curls. She seemed much, much more friendly than the other two in the room.

Viktor moved up to the woman and hugged her, smiling. And thank goodness, the woman smiled back! Viktor moved her over to me, apparently telling her who I was. She hugged me tightly, apparently initiating me into her family. "This is my other grandmother, Stoyanka," he said softly, squeezing my hand.

"I am Stoyanka," she said in the worst English I had ever heard.

"I am Leigh Ann," I said, hugging her back. "It is nice to meet you."

But apparently that was the extent of her English. "I am Stoyanka."

And so, the engagement party began, starting off with Viktor's family, who thought that I was pregnant, and my own grandmother, who thought that I was only marrying Viktor for his money and pureblood status.

_Oh, Merlin, I'm in for a long night..._

_******Liliyana Krum  
January 1, 8:59 P.M **_

Liliyana didn't know what to think of that girl. She was tall, with too much meat on her bones to be considered pretty, and her face was too round. The high cheekbones and dark skin didn't make up for the fact that her eyes were large and held too many secrets. She watched as Leigh Ann laughed and was suddenly pulled away by a Bulgarian woman from Viktor's town. "Tell me, vill eet be a beeg wedding?" she asked, her eyes alight with gossip.

"Of course!" Leigh Ann exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

Another woman asked Viktor the same question in Bulgarian, over on the other side of the room. "_Oh, no_," he said, waving his hands in front of him. "_Absolutely not_."

"_And what about children_?" the same woman asked, leaning forwards.

The kids around him crowded, and he laughed, ruffling as many heads as he could. "_Perhaps one or two_."

Across the room, Leigh Ann was being asked the very same question. "As many as possible!"

"_Where will you live_?"

"_Bulgaria_."

"America."

"Oh, dear," Sandra whispered, giving an anxious glance to Lilyana, who gave her the same look.

"_Blue_."

"Red!"

"_Boy_."

"Girl."

"_She will let me finish Quidditch_."

"He will want me to work with my team."

"_She will stay at home and not get hurt._"

"I'll be right by his side, fighting along with him."

"_Mild_."

"Spicy!"

"_The same._"

"Completely different!"

"_No._"

"Yes!"

"I don't see a match at all," Lilyana whispered, her eyes narrow with cynicism. Sandra looked about to say something, but Stoyanka interrupted her.

"I oonderstand that there may be deefereences," Stoyanka said softly, putting a hand on both of the other womenfolk's arms, "boot they loff each oother."

"She will be married in America," Sandra said with a final nod as she pulled her arm away. "With her family, love or not."

Lilyana felt a small twinge of annoyance at this older woman's command. "It is up to the children."

"Leigh Ann will _want _to be married in America."

"She said that she and Viktor needed to talk about it."

"I just heard her! She wants to be married near family. I am a part of that family."

"And I am Viktor's family."

The two woman stared each other down until Leigh Ann came up and smiled at each of them, her chubby cheeks jiggling in the process. Lilyana wondered what she would be have to do...

To keep that fat, mudblood toad from marrying her grandson.

* * *

**WHOA! Hold up there, grandma! Don't be hatin'! Baha, anyways, here's a look at the next chapter! Lets get 45 to 50 reviews, shall we?**

"Oh, no, I can't," Leigh Ann said, blushing deeply as she tried to scoot away from the large, four-poster bed. "Really."

"We are noot oonder any eempreesions that you two are noot sleeping vith each oother," Stoyanka said bitingly, making Viktor flush down to his toes.

"_Grandmother_," he growled, narrowing his eyes at her. "_Stop it._"

"_I am not doing anything._" He didn't know when she'd suddenly gotten the inclination to be hateful towards his fiance, but he was sure to put a stop to it.

Viktor turned a face away from his grandmother, to watch as Leigh Ann slowly moved towards the door. "I am soory, Leigh Ann. My grandmother knows that Americans are…progressive." Oh, how he wished that she was slightly more progressive.

"Well I'm not," she said, putting her hands on her hips. He knew this look. It was the same one she gave him before each lecture. "Mrs. Saroon, I apologize that you have such a bad view on my country, but some of us save ourselves for our husbands. I have saved myself for my wedding night. The ring I put on my bouquet? It was my promise ring to God."

His grandmother looked shocked, to say the least. She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, but Leigh Ann beat her to it.

"I apologize that you think so lowly of me, but I was expecting much, much more from you. I am marrying your grandson, and I love him very, very much, with all of my heart and more. And if you can't understand that, well then I'm sorry."

"Veakness," the old woman scoffed, turning her head to the side. "Loff is veakness."

"To you, maybe, yes. But it strengthens me." She reached down and grasped Viktor's hand, pulling him closer. "Come on, Viktor, I promised to make your father tea." And then they were walking out of the room, their footsteps the only sound in the entire house.

"Leahn…" he whispered, sensing the tension in her back. She stopped suddenly and pushed him against the nearest wall, jumping up to wrap her arms around him and crushing her lips to his.


	39. ti si moyat jivot

**Nothing to say - I hope you enjoy this next chapter! (:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! (Or Elvis.) (Or Journey.) **

**... I don't own a lot of stuff, actually.**

* * *

_**ti si moyat jivot**_

**Viktor Krum  
****January 2, 1996, 11:37 P.M.  
****Outside of Sofia, Bulgaria**

They arrived by port key late that night. He was so eager to show her his family home, the one he'd grown up in before all of the money, before all of the fame. It was a small cottage an hour outside of Sofia, covered in a traditional thatch roof. It held two small bedrooms, a roomy, home-style kitchen, and the coziest family room that one could ever see.

He grasped her hand and pulled her with him through the snow. She was smiling—he hoped that she liked it! He wanted her to be happy here, to live here with him, to hold his children, and to wake up with him every morning.

They arrived at the door to see his grandmother throwing it open, tackling him with a bear-hug so large, he thought that he would fall over. Stoyanka wasn't a tall woman. She was short and round, with thick white hair and a smile that could rival a Veela's. She smiled at Viktor and instantly asked how he was.

"_I am fine, grandmother. _Leahn _and I vanted to come tonight, to be settled in."_

His grandmother turned her dark brown eyes onto Leigh Ann, as if looking her over once more. He'd never imagined that his grandmother would have anything to think but nice things, but obviously, he was wrong. _"I do not want her staying here."_

"_Grandmother!" _Viktor glared at Stoyanka, wondering what was going on in that head of hers. Leigh Ann was his fiance! She was to be treated as such. She'd liked Leigh Ann just fine the day before. What had changed that?

"V-Viktor," Leigh Ann said, her teeth chattering underneath all of the fur he'd piled on her, "I-I'm fr-freezin'!"

He turned back to his grandmother to see that she was glaring at the girl. _"Can we at least come in before we freeze?"_

She frowned, as if it were a burden, before letting them in. _"Very well."_

Viktor walked in to his childhood home, taking in the smell of firewood and pine needles that permeated the air. It was as he remembered it—a brick fireplace to the right, with a small, tan couch in front of it. A rug where he used to play was in the center of the room. To the left was the walkway to the kitchen.

"_Follow me,"_ she said under her breath, stalking into the next room. Viktor sent an apologetic glance back to his fiance. She just seemed happy to be out of the cold as she took off her oversized parka. They all walked into a back room that was taken up mainly by a large, four-poster bed with a few of Grandmother Stoyanka's quilts thrown across it. Other than that, there was a small armior and a stand with a pitcher on it. "You vill stay." The old woman pointed to the bed.

"Oh, no, I can't," Leigh Ann said, blushing deeply as she tried to scoot away from the large, four-poster bed. "Really."

The old woman's eyes narrowed. "We are noot oonder any _eempreesions_ that you two are noot sleeping vith each oother," Stoyanka said bitingly, making Viktor flush down to his toes.

"_Grandmother_," he growled, narrowing his eyes at her. "_Stop it._" What had gotten into her?

"_I am not doing anything._" He didn't know when she'd suddenly gotten the inclination to be hateful towards his fiance, but he was sure to put a stop to it.

Viktor turned a face away from his grandmother, to watch as Leigh Ann slowly moved towards the door. "I am sorry, Leahn. My grandmother knows that _Ameereecans_ are…_progreeseeve_." Oh, how he wished that she was slightly more progressive.

"Well I'm not," she said, putting her hands on her hips. He knew that look. It was the same one she gave him before each lecture. She turned towards his grandmother, her face going soft, her eyes still hard, and said, "Mrs. Krum, I apologize that you have such a bad view on my country, but some of us save ourselves for our husbands. I have saved myself for my weddin' night."

His grandmother looked shocked, to say the least. She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, but Leigh Ann beat her to it.

"I apologize that you think so lowly of me, but I was expectin' much, much more from you. I am marryin' your grandson, and I love him very, very much, with all of my heart and more. And if you can't understand that, well then I'm sorry."

Stoyanka looked very, very shocked at this, and Viktor was waiting for the look of malice to come over her face, and a stream of Bulgarian profanities to shoot out. But Stoyanka only narrowed her eyes and stood up straight. "My family is from a long line of pure vizards. Your blood is _not _pure."

Viktor wanted to do something to stop the look of horrified shock from coming onto his fiancé's face, and to take back the words from his grandmother's mouth. "Ladies—"

"You don't want me to marry your grandson because I'm not _pure-blood_?" she asked in a voice so soft, that Viktor wondered if his elderly grandmother had even heard her. He knew this voice, though, to be a sign of pure and utter fury.

Stoyanka only nodded, a serious expression on her face.

He knew that Leigh Ann was touching her tongue to a back molar, as her jaw was set in that one way that he knew to fear. He tried to put his hand on her back and negate this conversation all together, but she threw him a look that told him to let her do it on her own. "You were just fine with me when you thought I was pure-blood! Mercy!" She stopped and took a breath, closing her eyes for a moment before pointing them at the old woman. "Mrs. Krum, my mother is pure-blood, from some of the oldest families in America and England."

"Just like Krums," she said stiffly, crossing her arms under her chest. "Your father, though…"

"Yes, just like the Krum family." Leigh Ann took a deep breath, looking away from either person in the room. "Let me tell you a story. It isn't that long. When my mother came home from school one year, she went out with a few of her other pure-blood friends to a Muggle military fort, to learn a few things for an assignment for school. There, she met my father. Muggle. Completely. She had already been engaged, to a man that she thought she had loved, but in truth she had only loved him because it would have made her mother happy. She fell in love with my father, then, for who he was, not for what was in his blood. Viktor could be a Muggle and I would have fallen for him."

Viktor hadn't known that Leigh Ann's mother had been engaged prior to meeting Jonathan, but it did make sense. Rene and Jonathan were the happiest couple he'd ever seen, and it was probably because they were in love, and not in an arranged marriage.

Leigh Ann took his hand, intertwining their fingers. "I'm very, very sorry if you don't know love like my mother, or like me. But Viktor…without him, my life would be meaningless." At that moment, he knew that he wanted to spend every moment for the rest of his life with this woman. He didn't get a chance to hold her

"Veakness," the old woman scoffed, turning her head to the side. "Love is merely veakness."

"To you, maybe, yes. But it strengthens me." She reached down and grasped Viktor's hand, pulling him closer. "Come on, Viktor, I can hear your stomach growling from a mile away." And then they were walking out of the room, their footsteps the only sound in the small house. He heard his grandmother 'huff' and Apparate out of the room behind them.

"Leahn…" he whispered, sensing the tension in her back. She stopped suddenly and pushed him against the nearest wall, jumping up to wrap her arms around him and forcing her lips onto his.

Not that he was complaining, but it wasn't loving or what he was used to, but rather anger, the need to feel something crumble beneath her lips. He was surprised to feel her legs hook around his hips, to feel her jeans rubbing against his khakis. Her hands ran through his curls, tugging them, making his mouth open wider.

Viktor Apparated them both back to his—well, _their—_bedroom. Leigh Ann pushed him down onto the bed as he muttered a silencing spell around the room, locking the door. "Leahn—"

She silenced him by straddling his hips, her hands instantly grasping his shirt, pulling him up to meet her. Her lips were open when their mouths touched. She tasted like cinnamon, from that cafe she'd wanted to stop at back in Sofia. She'd always tasted sweet, just as her hands had always felt hot against his body.

The weight she'd lost showed as his hands moved across her waist and hips, as he gently grasped her butt and ground her hips into his. She moaned hotly into his mouth, tightening her thighs and repeating the motion. He ran his fingers softly down her crease, hearing her grunt in approval, her hips grinding into his to find friction. He moved the tips of his fingers down and parted her legs further, situating himself between her legs.

She took her mouth from his and placed it onto his neck, gently kissing from his collarbone to his ear and back until she found the spot she liked most. He slid himself across her jeaned maidenhead when she opened her lips beneath his ear, gently running her tongue across his skin before closing her lips and sucking.

He groaned and leaned his head back against the pillows, letting her ravage him for a moment. He knew that this wasn't her. This wasn't his Leigh Ann. As much as he loved her mouth roaming over his neck, down his chest, he couldn't help but feel disheartened, even if his cock was feeling...well, _heartened_.

"Leahn," he groaned, moving his hands back up to her hips. She didn't answer him, her lips still attached to his neck. "Leahn, you must stop."

She pulled her lips away and shook her head, her eyes lidded dangerously. "N-no," she said softly, shaking her head. "Th-this is what they e-expect us to do."

"I vill not complain." He slid his fingers into her hair and pulled her forehead to his. They were both breathing harshly, so it took him a moment to say what he needed to. His cock was still throbbing, nestled between her legs as if it belonged there. Her heat was doing things to him that he wished he could control. The sweet smell of her breath against his lips made him want to do things he shouldn't have thought. "_This_...this is not you."

Leigh Ann shook her head, gently brushing her nose against his. "H-how can your f-family... Wh-what did I do _wrong_?" Her last breath was shaky and vulnerable.

"Oh, dear vun, you did nothing vong," he crooned, gently pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Nothing." He slowly turned her over, leaning on his elbow over the love of his life. "My family... They are like most pure-blood, yes? They are not so, ah, _open-minded_ vhen it comes to _Moogle_ blood."

She frowned, so he used his thumb to gently smooth out the lines on her forehead. "I'm only half. Do they really care that much? About blood?"

He wanted to tell her no, but he knew differently. He would be stricken from the family records if he married her—unless she could prove that she was pure-blooded. "_Da_, they do."

Leigh closed her eyes and sighed, placing one hand over her face. "Why do you want to marry me, Viktor?"

He didn't really understand the question—why _didn't_ he want to marry this beautiful woman who lay in his bed? "I loff you."

"Is that enough?" His heart was stricken as she opened her eyes and looked at him with a sadness so deep, it hit him, too. "Is that what they want from us?"

"It is vhat _I _vant from us!" He didn't know what to say to get it through her thick head—he loved her, and he was going to marry her! "Do you not see?" he asked softly, grasping her chin to make her look at him. "I do not care vhat they say."

"But they're your family," she groaned softly, throwing her head back. "How can you not take their opinions into consideration?"

Viktor leaned up and gently kissed her exposed neck. "I half," he told her simply, making her look at him in shock.

"Wha—?"

"And I half decided I do not care vhat they say."

She looked at him for a moment, her eyes incredulous, before she let out a humorless laugh. "Bless your heart, Viktor."

"It is full of loff for you."

That cute little snort of hers came out as she arched herself slowly off the bed, pushing him off of her. "When did you get all corny?"

He stayed in his place as he watched her get up, moving over to her suitcase and bending down to get her nightgown. He appreciated the tight jeans that molded against her ass, wanting to grab it and pull her back to the bed. "Vhen I met you."

She gave him a look that said she knew what he'd been doing, but he didn't care. He was still turned on from her "attack" a moment ago. He knew that he'd have to take yet another cold shower, but, as soon as he was married to his fiance, he would have her.

Suddenly, that seemed very, very far away.

She blushed and raised an eyebrow at him, shaking her nightgown to ask a question. "Yes?" he asked, looking at her intensely.

"Care to close your eyes?" He loved the blush that she got when he looked at her like that. He wondered now how he could have kept from ravaging her in his office, back at the Academy. At the moment, he could see himself sprawling her against his desk, spreading her legs to allow him entry. He could see her beautiful breasts heaving with air as he plunged into her, making the desk shake with the power of their love-making.

So, obviously, his answer was, "No."

"_Viktor_," she groaned, sticking her lower lip out. Normally, that look would have done him in. But he wanted her, so watching her undress wouldn't have hurt anything more. "I want to change!"

"Then change."

"I'm not changin' in front of you!"

He smirked at that. "I half changed you before...or you do not remember?" He remembered, even though he knew that he'd not seen anything.

The red covered her face completely now—he even saw it on the tips of her ears when she pushed her hair behind them. "Y-yes, but that w-was a different incident."

Viktor shook his head and turned over, closing his eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it in her direction. "Ah, change, Leahn. I vill not look."

"Swear?"

"Svear."

He heard her rustling around, changing, so he imagined what he'd see if he'd opened his eyes. The curve of her hips...the swell of her breasts...

He felt her lay down next to him, so he opened his eyes and pulled her up against his side. He pulled her on top of him, delighting in her squeal. He smiled down at her and ran his fingers up and down her spine. "Sleep, my loff. Tomorrow, ve celebrate like Bulgarians."

Leigh Ann smiled back up at him before lying her head down on his chest. "I'm lookin' forward to it."

**January 3, 9:21 A.M.**

**Viktor's Childhood Kitchen**

It was a beautiful scene—Leigh Ann, cooking in his Grandmother's kitchen. She was dressed in a simple cotton dress, seeing as how his grandmother couldn't stand women who wore pants, and it fitted her perfectly. When a breeze drifted under her dress, he could see a bump of a baby, _his _baby...

Viktor had to shake his head to keep the images out of his mind, but she was so beautiful! He had always thought that she had been beautiful, but seeing her in his home clothing, in Bulgarian traditional clothing, made as if to fit only her, sent his pulse racing.

It was less flamboyant than most, and more streamline. It was a soft blue, a dark black, and a medium brown that matched her skin tone so perfectly that he could have wept.

It was called a _soukman, _a short-sleeved overdress with a low V-neck that showed a beautiful curve of tanned neck and cleavage. Even though it was usually made of dark woolen material, it was more of a soft silk, with a slight amount of wool. He knew that it was worn over an embroidered straight cut chemise, called a _riza_. Over the dress was a thick, brown, richly decorated apron with pearls, beads, and colorful stones sewn into the fabric. A narrow belt was around her waist, emphasizing the curve of her body.

_Oh, she is so beautiful..._

She didn't help his need to change his mind's thoughts when she picked up a mixing spoon and closed her eyes, swinging her wide hips back and forth. _"Are you lonesome tonight?" _she sang softly into the spoon, slow dancing around the small kitchen. "_Do you miss me tonight? Are you sorry we drifted apart? Does your memory stray to a bright summer day? When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?"_

At that point, he didn't care what she was making, or what he was going to have for breakfast.

He wanted her.

Leigh Ann wasn't even aware he was in the kitchen. So, when he saddled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, he was surprised when she didn't jump. Instead, she kept swaying those beautiful hips and singing into the spoon. She turned her head and smiled up to him, complete freedom in her beautiful hazel eyes.

"Good morning," he said to her, lowering his lips down to the soft cream of her shoulder. "I see you half grown comfortable in my childhood home?"

"It's so beautiful here," she sighed, leaning her head back onto his chest, humming the song she'd been singing, but slower. "I see why you want to be married here."

He wanted to broach the subject of them _living_ there, but all he could think about were the reasons _not_ to. Things were starting to get dangerous. He knew that he was selfish to keep her close to him, but not being near her killed him inside. "That song...vhy that vone?"

She turned around in his arms, refusing to look at him as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. "My dad would sing that song to my mother when he came home from overseas." Leigh Ann looked up at him and smiled softly at him, raising one hand up to gently caress his cheek. "Being here, everythin' reminds me of you. When you leave to do...whatever it is you do, I feel like you're overseas. I try to think of the happy things that we do together, but I still get lonesome without you." He could see in her eyes that she was asking what he was doing there, but both of them knew that they couldn't answer.

Her words were like a stab to his chest. All that Viktor could do was hug her tightly to him and kiss the top of her head. _I can't tell you what I do, my love. You would be in danger...and I can't let that happen. _

Leigh Ann started singing softly under her breath as she swayed with him, snuggling her face into his chest. "_Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go._" _I will not let you go. _"_You have made my life complete, and I love you so. Love me tender, love true, all my dreams fulfilled. For my darling, I love you, and I always will._"

Viktor looked down on her beautiful face to see that she was smiling so widely, with such happiness, that he instantly felt his heart swell. Those words filled him with a joy that he had never expected. He tried to show her how he felt in their next kiss, her soft lips moving with his in a dance that they both knew all too well.

He vaguely heard the spoon clatter to the floor as she grasped his hair between her fingers, pulling him closer to her. His hands found those beautiful hips, pulling them both ever closer. He thought that this was a dream—the woman he loved in his childhood home, dressed in a simple dress, surrounded by simple things, his wealth not playing a part in anything. He never believed that he could ever love someone so much.

"Leahn," he said softly, moving his lips to her cheek as he stopped to catch his breath. She gave a small inclination that she heard him, instead putting her head in the crook of his neck and taking a deep breath of him. He then whispered in her ear, "I loff you."

She gave the crook of his neck a small kiss, sending shivers down his back. "I love you too, Viktor." Her hands slowly moved from his head, to his neck, to his shoulders before she gently put some space between them. Her hazel eyes, when she next looked up to him, were suddenly full of something that looked like..._fear_? "Viktor...are you leaving again?"

His own fear stabbed him in the heart and made his body grow rigid before he could stop it. He could feel the burning in the back of his mind, telling him that he had to leave, but he ignored it. She felt his body tense, because she instantly pushed him away and went back to cooking—exactly what she did when she was upset. "Leahn, I am not leafing."

That was when his heart constricted. _I just told her my first lie._ He knew that his ruse would be much, much harder to hide from her if this was what would happened when he told her these things.

"Don't lie to me, please," she whispered, stirring whatever she'd had in the pot before he'd ambushed her. "I'm here, in your house, cookin' your breakfast—which is burned, now, by the way—and you're goin' to _leave me again._"

He shook his head and took a deep breath, gently kissing her on the forehead. "Do noot vorry about this vight now. I vant you to enjoy yourself. My _grandmoother_ has things for you to do today. I vant you to relax for party, yes? I vill see you tonight."

"Where are you going?" she asked softly, running her hands down his chest. She refused to look at him.

He shook his head again and pulled her closer, holding her to him. "I vill not tell. You vill be _oopset._" He put his head on hers, hoping that it was the end of her argument.

Obviously, he was wrong. "I'm upset _now_!" she sighed, her forehead on his chest. "You leave for days at a time. What will it be next time? A week? A month? Are you going to miss our _weddin_'?"

"No!" He grasped her face and forced her to look at him. Her hazel eyes were full of tears, while at the same time being narrowed in anger. "I vould not."

"You'll be here tonight, then?"

"_Da._" He would be out of his...ah, _meeting_ before their second engagement party that night.

The look in her eyes made him sure that he would be. "You _swear_?"

Viktor gently pulled her forwards, tasting her delectable lips against his once more. He almost lost himself in the kiss, but he pulled back and instantly said, "_Da. _I svear. _Ti si moyat jivot_."

_You are my life._

**Stoyanka Krum  
****January 3, 1:32 P.M.  
****The Wizarding Town of Bulholm**

Stoyanka had proclaimed that Leigh Ann was much too old to do any of this, and that Viktor and she were already going to be married, so there was no point. But Viktor had insisted that she be in all customs.

Before the holiday each lass prepared a wreath or bouquet of flowers, putting a valued ring or bracelet or necklace around it before putting them in a caldron with silent water. The caldron was covered with an apron and was left over the night under the stars, underneath a rose bush.

In the morning the girls would prepare the _Enjova boulja_, which was a four or five year old girl dressed in wedding clothes with a red veil and decorations on the head. The whole group would go around the village and the girls carried one after another the _Enjova boulja_. They would stop by every well or spring, around the fields, the gardens, the cattle sheds while they are singing songs about fertility and love. During the whole procession, the _Enjova boulja _would be waiving her hands, imitating flying.

People would ask her questions about the future harvest and the random answers were considered as predictions After the tout around the village the group goes back to the house where they have left the caldron. The girls sing prediction songs there. If the singing competition was only over the lasses' bunch of flowers, the predictions were about weddings, and if there are bunches of flowers for everyone the predictions were about health and fertility.

In this case, it was about weddings, and their true loves.

Leigh Ann was humming a tune as she and the other, much smaller, girls were picking flowers to make their wreaths. She was wearing one of Viktor's thick fur coats that she'd transfigured to fit her own body, though it was still too big. Her hair was pulled up tight under a wool scarf, her face free of all makeup.

Stoyanka had never heard the song her future daughter-in-law was humming, but by the way Leigh Ann was humming it, it made Viktor's mother believe that she could sing.

"Vhat are you singing?" she asked as the girl—well, she really couldn't be called a _girl_—picked small lilies in white and orange, intertwining them artistically with ivy.

She smiled, stopping the picking for a moment. "It's called 'Open Arms.' Would you like me to sing you a part of it?"

Knowing that she should have said no, because this girl was throwing even more surprises at her at every turn, Stoyanka nodded. "I vill listen."

"_Lying beside you, here in the dark. Feeling your heart beat with mine. Softly you whisper, 'You're so sincere. How could I love you so much?'_" Leigh Ann's voice was soft, with a small gravel down in the bottom, and it very much pretty. "_We sailed on together, we drifted apart. Now here you are by my side. So now I run to you, with open arms! Nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am, with open arms! Hoping you'll see what your love means to me, open arms._"

It was very beautiful, even though she couldn't understand what most of it meant. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the girl's presence, especially the way she made Viktor look. Every time she was near, his face lit up like a fire. His happiness radiated out, making her feel almost..._awful_ for treating the woman badly.

She sighed and knew that she had to apologize. Unfortunately, there was a language barrier. "_Az sŭm sŭzhalyavam_," she sighed, wishing that the girl could understand her somehow.

Leigh Ann turned and looked at Stoyanka, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "_Blagodarya_."

_Thank you? _ The girl had just thanked her in her own language! It instantly made the girl seem a little better in Stoyanka's mind. "You..."

There was a slight amount of blush on the girl's cheeks as she pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I-I thought, that, since Viktor and I were getting so close, I'd learn a little Bulgarian. Now that we're getting married, I guess that it was a good idea."

Stoyanka was impressed with the girl's gumption. She was larger than most, but held herself as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. She was half-blood, and yet was just as determined as a pure-blood. "It vas good idea."

If anything, Stoyanka was really wondering whether or not she really wanted to strike her grandson out of the family line.

* * *

**Hmm, well? I would really like some reviews, yes? Let's say 50 before I post the next chapter?**

Because of the size of Stoyanka's house, the party had to be held in his parent's house. It was a magnificent mansion, one that showed Viktor's other side. I had to remember that, even though Viktor was mine, he was also the world's. It showed in the glitz and glam that surrounded me, by the fashionable people, the trophies, and the scathing looks that I was getting.

I was wearing what was considered a fashionable wizard robe to my own engagement party. Lilyana had picked it out...and I hadn't seen her since. I'd been introduced to so many people that I couldn't remember their names, and so many drinks had been given to me that I started to feel tipsy. My mother was there, though, being the celebrity she was, and Alex was right by my side. It made it kind of acceptable to be there.

Though it wouldn't have been so bad...if Viktor were there at our engagement party.


	40. Doubt

**First off, I just want to thank everyone SO MUCH for all the reviews, so wonderful! They've possessed me to write to the brink of death! (Or at least sleep-exhaustion.) I'm like a writing maniac, I never expected so many! I can't wait to see the reaction to this chapter. (And the next few.) (;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! Viktor, no matter how much I love him, is, alas, not mine either. *sigh***

* * *

**Doubt**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****January 3, 6:00 P.M.  
****Viktor's Parents' House**

Viktor's mansion was..._gorgeous_. I'd never expected his family to be so extravagant, especially after seeing Stoyanka's home. I walked into a parlor adorned with Greek columns and gold-inlaid flooring. A house elf and human servant—_human servant!—_greeted me at the door, as did a certain devious little puppy.

I squealed as White Fang jumped into my arms, attacking my face with his pink little tongue. He was a little bigger since I last played with him, but he was still my little puff ball of fur! I was too distracted by him to answer the butler's question of if I wanted him to take my coat. _I can hang up my own coat, thank you._ I'd been brought up to do things for myself. Viktor's family wasn't going to change that.

I heard a woman talking in Bulgarian, so I looked up to see Viktor's beautiful mother standing above me, talking to Stoyanka. She had a small frown on her face, but when she noticed I was looking, she smiled. "Ah, Leahn. Vhere is my Viktor?"

"He said that he had to into Sofia for something," I said, smiling back at the lady, my hands still buried in soft white fur. "He'll be back before the party."

"Oh," Rosa said, her smile slightly tense. "I see. Come, let me get you dressed, yes?"

I nodded, trying to pay attention, but the puppy was so dang_ cute!_ It almost made it okay that Viktor was gone. Sadly, I had to be dragged away from my adorable puppy. Rosa carried me past dozens of rooms, (most of which I had no clue of what they were used for,) and showed me things like the ballroom—_uh, the BALLROOM! _Viktor had a ballroom in his mansion!—and the dining room that could fit one hundred people, minimum. I never got to see Viktor's room; I really wanted to see what it was like. But, with all the other rooms, I'd never be able to find it again anyways.

Rosa pulled me into a small room—well, small for that house, anyways—and pulled the door closed. "Stoyanka has given you dress," she said simply, gesturing to the sitting room of what was a apparently a dressing room. "Go, I help vhen needed."

I nodded and backed into the dressing room, marveling at the beautiful design, even in the broom closet that I'd accidentally opened. (No joke, there was a Nimbus in their broom closet.) I was floored, but I made myself move and stop gawking at everything.

The dress was beautiful, with a tight amber bodice, (corset, so I understood where the "help" came in at,) and a full, billowing skirt. It may have been awkward with Rosa, but she had no qualms with helping me suffocate myself in a woman-binding corset. The shoes could have also killed me, but I didn't complain. I felt like a goddess.

A small woman came bustling in, wielding small combs and brushes. Next up was my hair and makeup, as long as I didn't get anything on the dress. This part made me feel like a princess. _I'll have to hire this girl for my wedding._ When she was done...I couldn't even imagine it.

I couldn't _wait_ to see Viktor!

**Viktor Krum  
****9:45 P.M.  
**…

It was cold and dark outside of Sofia that evening. The stars and moon were dark, casting everything in long shadows. Muggle cars passed by him, their lights blinding him momentarily, but they couldn't see him. He was less than a quarter mile from his checkpoint, and he was still under his dissallusionment charm. He took pride in knowing that he hadn't lied to her this time—he really was in Sofia. Unfortunately, he wasn't doing anything that he would be proud of.

He knew he was late. And he knew he'd be sorry for it.

"_Who goes there?" _the sentry asked, its gleaming lion paws sticking out from the shadows towards the house in front of him.

He knew the Sphinx's question well. _"The one who seeks the power in all three."_

The beast nodded and let him pass. He made sure that the walls of his mind were secure—and he didn't think about her at all. She was his student, as was Mary, and Alex, and Jessica. None of them could be picked out of his brain at any given moment of time and singled out.

Viktor went down the storm cellar stairs and knocked on the door in the secret code he'd learned form the last operative he'd killed. When it opened, it was quickly shut behind him. He could smell mildew, and see it running down the thick limescale stones of the basement. The only thing lighting the room was a small, flickering lightbulb on the ceiling.

He knew what he had to ask. _"What do you need me to do to prove to you that I am who I am? I am for Him. He is a savior to our country against the Mud-blood kind."_

There were three cloaked men in front of him, standing in a tense line. They nodded their heads together, and he could feel them poking at his mind, but he didn't let them in. The group never looked away from him, nor did they turn to move. _"You will bring us the blood of a virgin to prove your worth," _one said.

The other said, _"You will then mix it into a potion—" _

"—_and drink it." _The third one nodded, which made the other two nod. _"We will give you the other ingredients after you bring us the blood. It will connect you to us. We will save some of it to finish your markings."_

Viktor could feel the burning on the back of his neck, as if it were incomplete. _"For Grindelwald," _he said seriously, never thinking of her.

"_For Grindelwald."_

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****11:46 P.M.  
****Viktor's Parents' House**

Because of the size of Stoyanka's house, the party had to be held in his parent's house. It was a magnificent mansion, one that showed Viktor's other side. I had to remember that, even though Viktor was mine, he was also the world's. It showed in the glitz and glam that surrounded me, by the fashionable people, the trophies, and the scathing looks that I was getting.

I was wearing what was considered a fashionable wizard robe to my own engagement party. Lilyana had picked it out...and I hadn't seen her since. I'd been introduced to so many people that I couldn't remember their names, and so many drinks had been given to me that I started to feel tipsy. My mother was there, though, being the celebrity she was, and Alex was right by my side. It made it kind of acceptable to be there.

Though it wouldn't have been so bad...if Viktor were there at our engagement party.

I had to be sneered at, laughed at, and publicly humiliated a few dozen times before it sank in that he wasn't coming. I had to smile. I had to bear through every single moment of it before I could go back to Stoyanka's house and cry my eyes out.

But until then, I wouldn't give any of them a reason to seem me cry.

**Rosa Krum  
****11:59 P.M.**

The girl was strong. She was stubborn and had Muggle blood in her, but she was strong. Even though Viktor hadn't shown up at the engagement party, she still smiled and greeted everyone like a proper hostess. She mingled and smiled and shook hands. Her head was held high.

Rosa knew where her son was, and she was worried. Nothing usually took so long. He was showing disgrace for his family and for his "love." Wherever he was, it had better have been for a good reason.

* * *

******Five reviews to post the next written chapter in a week, ten to post it immediately!**

**The hint to the next chapter...is "MLA Format." Anyone? **

"I was wonderin' about that book you checked out of the library today."

A cold dread started to fill Marie as she looked into the icy eyes of one of her best students. "I don't believe that I checked a book out today." She thanked Merlin that she'd put it away before the girl had come in.

Jessica Nelson's eyes calculated her teacher's for a moment before she suddenly pulled out her wand and pointed it dead center at Marie's heart. Marie already had hers out. "Give me the _book_," Jessica growled through her teeth, her eyes narrowed.

"I knew that there was corruption in this school," Marie said back, starting to circle the desk, to try and get away, "but I didn't expect it from _you_."


	41. Discoveries

**Up in a week, like I promised! (:**

**Ickk, school! **

**Ickk, MLA Format!**

**Ickk, it's short! D: (Sorry about that, by the way. Next chapter is WAY longer.)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, swear. (Well, I own Leigh Ann and CG Marie Lingam. Oh, and Jessica Nelson.)**

* * *

**Discovery**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
Monday, January 8, 1996, 2:43 P.M.  
The American Academy of Magic  
History of Magic **

I sat down the essay I'd written over Christmas break onto Colonel General Marie Lingham's desk. My hands shook slightly as I laid it there and took a deep breath. _School...school... Think school!_

Turns out, thinking school is really, really hard when you're upset...and your fiance skipped out on your engagement party. Also turns out that when you expect that your skipping-out-fiance will be back at work so that you can chew him out, you're wrong.

"Lieutenant," my History of Magic teacher, Marie Lingam, said as she looked at me. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Fifth Period?"

I tried to smile at my favorite teacher and hoped that it looked at least slightly genuine. She coached me in acting, was a wonderful Music teacher, and was just a beautiful person all around. I looked up to her. "Free Period. I just finished my assignment."

She smiled back at me with her pearly whites and her pretty blue eyes all crinkled up. "I'll make sure to read it. Thank you." It was nice to see someone with a caring face, and not a pitying one. Her smile turned slowly into a confused look, though. "Everything alright?"

I tried to smile and nod, but it didn't turn out right. "I'll be fine."

"You sure?" My lips tightened slightly and I nodded again, watching her face turned slightly worried. "Well, if you say so." She looked down at my paper then up back again at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, First Period."

"Bye, General."

"Goodbye, Leigh Ann."

I felt her eyes burning into the back of my head as I practically ran out of the classroom.

**Colonel General Marie Lingam  
****January 10, 11: 45 P.M.  
****History of Magic**

It was obvious when Leigh Ann was upset. It was even more obvious when she wanted out of a classroom. The Lieutenant had been lying when she'd said she'd had free period - that was the period she was supposed to have Defense Against the Dark Arts. The question was, why hadn't she mentioned it?

Was Professor Krum gone again?

Marie sighed and rubbed her head, looking down at the paper before her. _Well, here goes nothing._

**...**

_Leigh Ann Nelson_

_Colonel General Marie Lingham_

_History of Magic_

_January 8, 1996_

_The First American Academy of Magic_

_America has always been different [from other countries] when we look back in history. The school has changed since it first started. Just as America changed over time, the AAM had to change in order to keep from being detected, and to keep its students, (and numbers,) strong. The Academy wasn't opened one-hundred years ago. The first Academy was opened after the Salem Witch Trials, to keep their wizards from being hunted. It was only open only to pure-blooded white males. Many of the students—and teachers—nowadays don't even realize this. This secret has been kept for reasons that you will read upon as we continue._

_The school believes that in physical perfection, there is mental perfection. As time moved on, the school discovered that when the students used magic to accomplish physical perfection, the students didn't have the mental perfection. Thus, the wands were taken away for what became known as "Hell Week," affectionately named by what was to be known as by the Navy branch. Stdents have never been so relieved to see their wands returned after a grueling seven days._

_The Generals also discovered that, when their students learned what Muggles learned, they were more able to blend in with them. Then the school discovered that if one of their men could fit in with human soldiers in the upcoming wars (Revolutionary, French and Indian, War of 1812, ect,) they could understand more how to keep the school from detection and keep their lines pure in the same instance. _

_Two decades before the Civil War was the first time that the school let in its first half-blood. His name was Ulysses. (Facts today have shown that he was completely Muggle-born.) He was tormented and berated, but he was one of the best in his class. He was in the Army branch. He later went on to West Point, graduating as one of the best Generals that America has ever seen._

_When others of his "kind" were let into the school, the "Circle" came out for the first time and started the First Wizarding War [in America.] They killed anyone with Muggle blood, and all blood-traitors were burned net to their loved ones. Finally, all those apposed to the harsh rules of the school rose up and fought back. The pure-bloods, unexpectedly, lost, and the "Academy" fell in the final battle. It was re-opened in September of 1894 by a half-blood, and opened to all but half-breeds and Muggle-borns. That was remedied over time as America, and the world, changed._

**_... _**

She'd never heard of that reference book. And, when she'd brought it out of the library, she'd never read anything like it. The history of the school? When had any of this _happened_? It wasn't taught, and it wasn't even mentioned by any of the other school teachers!

Reading the book took Marie past two o'clock in the morning. She was just putting it down to rub her tired eyes when there was a knock on her door. _Strange,_ she thought, brushing her long, blonde hair out of her face, _it's early. The kids aren't usually up this early right when school starts back in._ "Come in," she said tiredly, surprised at how hoarse her voice was as she put the book in her desk drawer.

Jessica Nelson came in the room, her blue eyes calculating everything. They were strangely narrowed and dangerous-looking, but Marie just guessed that she was tired and so was Jessica. "Can I help you this early, Ensign?" She stood up and pushed her chair in, trying to keep from falling over from exhaustion.

"Yes," she said, slightly snappish, as she stood behind the chair in front of Marie's desk. The girl had no books, bags, or paper or pens. She was barely dressed by standard code, and her hair looked like it'd been home to several birds in the past few hours. "I was wonderin' about that book you checked out of the library today."

A cold dread started to fill Marie as she looked into the icy eyes of one of her best students. "I don't believe that I checked a book out today." She thanked Merlin that she'd put it away before the girl had come in.

Her eyes calculated her teacher's for a moment before she suddenly pulled out her wand and pointed it dead center at Marie's heart. Marie already had hers out. "Give me the _book_," Jessica growled through her teeth, her eyes narrowed.

"I knew that there was corruption in this school," Marie said back, starting to circle the desk, to try and get away, "but I didn't expect it from _you_."

Jessica's eyes were widely sarcastic, her mouth hanging open slightly. "Oh, you mean, 'Jessica, oh, pretty, smart Jessica, the teacher's pet!' Pah!" But there was a certain fear in her eyes, and Marie noticed that the girl's wand hand was shaking every so slightly. "No one knows me."

"You can come to us, Jessica, know this," Marie said softly, realizing that the girl was scared. "We can help you. We can keep you safe."

"No one is safe!" Jessica yelled this, her eyes turning frantic. "Not you, not me, not _anybody!_ If they knew I was even talking to you..." She faltered for a moment, giving Marie her move.

"Expel—" But Jessica had already sped up in front of her, grabbing her by the throat and cutting of her air supply. The small girl was surprisingly strong as she lifted her shorter teacher off the ground a few inches. For a moment, all Marie saw in Jessica's eyes were fear. Until it turned to malice.

"I'm not going to be sorry for this."

And then, all was black.

* * *

**Wha...? Marie? No, Marie! D:**

**Even if Leigh Ann is hurt, school is still there, no matter what. An amazing reviewer asked a question, and part of this sprouted in an answer! (I tend to ramble...a lot...when asked a question.) They felt that it would be interesting if I put this in. (Thank you! :D) I decided that it's a nice backstory that no one has heard. And, it's a chapter, albeit a short one. (The next one is written, 9 pages, and I think that you will enjoy VERY much...with some reviews to help me post it? 10, methinks, will get the job done for an immediate post, and 7 for a week.)**

"DON'T—" I shouted, standing up, trying to calm down and to still yell my anger at the same time. I took a deep breath and tried to talk again. "Don't you _dare_ tell me that you can't tell me where you're going for another two damn weeks. You're my fiancé, you _missed our engagement party_, and—"

Viktor roughly cupped my face and pulled me forwards, forcing a powerful kiss. I slowly melted into his arms, feeling myself crying even more as he slowed the kiss into one of the most loving things I had ever felt.

"_Let me make loff to you_," he whispered right against my cheek as the tears fell down my face, and I gasped for air.


	42. Insecure

**I think it is the moment you have all been waiting for for...42 chapters? I've kept you waiting, and I apologize. This should help heal your agonizing waiting, and clear up a few answers or two. (;**

*******PSSTT. This is rated "M." If you are not of age, or you feel uncomfortable with his in any way, I've posted a stopping point.*******

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Period!**

* * *

**Insecure**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****January 7, 1996, 8:34 A.M.  
****Arlington Cemetery**

The funeral was...abysmal. I'd never cried so much in my life, besides that time I'd thought that my dad had been lost to me forever. CG Lingam had always been one of my favorite teachers, and I'd been very close to her.

All the students, dressed in their finest, were either crying their eyes out, staring harshly off past the funeral director, or staring down at the ground with dazed expressions on their faces. I was the one who was slightly dazed and crying at the same time.

_What happened?_ I wondered, remembering the First Year who'd walked in on Marie's cold, lifeless body. I knew that she'd been strangled to death. That was the easy part to figure out. _I guess I should be asking __**who**__happened._

I held my head high as taps was finished playing, and as the casket was lowered into the ground, but that just made the tears fall a longer distance.

**January 26, 1996, 10:28 P.M.  
****Officer's Quarters**

I was sitting on my bed when he came in. Sitting on my bed when the light spilled over me, before he closed the door and moved cautiously forwards. It was night, I knew that much. He probably hadn't even checked in with the General yet. He'd only been gone for three weeks. It had been three weeks since he'd walked out on me. And it'd been three weeks that I'd been back to school, without looking at anyone, without really seeing anything. Between his being gone and the death of Marie Lingam, my heart was in recession.

"What are you doing here?" I heard myself ask, though I didn't remember telling myself to ask the question.

"You are my fiancé."

_Hah. Some fiancé. _"Where have you been?"

There was a count of five heartbeats before he answered. "I…I cannot say, loff. I am sorry. I just vanted to come and see how you vere doing." He didn't make a move to come forwards.

"You're leaving again, aren't you?" I asked, feeling my eyes swell up and my throat clench. _He could only get away for one night. Of course there was a catch other than staying away for days at a time._ I tried not to look at him, but I knew that he was nodding, and I couldn't help but let a tear fall down my cheek. "_Why_?"

He let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his face with one large hand. "I cannot—"

"DON'T—" I shouted, standing up, trying to calm down and to still yell my anger at the same time. I took a deep breath and tried to talk again. "Don't you _dare_ tell me that you can't tell me where you're going for another two damn months. You're my fiancé, you _missed our engagement party_, and—"

Viktor roughly cupped my face and pulled me forwards, forcing a powerful kiss. I slowly melted into his arms, feeling myself crying even more as he slowed the kiss into one of the most loving things I had ever felt.

"_Let me make loff to you_," he whispered right against my cheek as the tears fell down my face, and I gasped for air.

I clutched his shirt, shaking my head into the crease of his shoulder. "I c-can't, Viktor. I can't." _I'm scared._

"I loff you, sveetheart, know that." He hugged me gently to him, whispering sweet things to me in Bulgarian. "I do not vant you to hurt. I vant to comfort you. I am sorry, loff, for missing our party. Let me comfort you."

"Not in that way, Viktor," I whispered back, hugging him to me as hard as I could. "You know I want it too, but _not yet_. It was so hard, walking into that party, seeing all of those accusin' faces... I needed you, Viktor, and you weren't there. You told me that you would be there when I needed you." By this point, I was rambling. My sobs were shaking my body so hard that he had to hold me tighter.

His lips gently brushed up and down my jaw, around my ear, and across my cheekbone, gently ending on my nose. "I am sorry. Please, sveetheart. I do not know vhen I vill be back. I do not vant to pressure you, boot…" Viktor let out a frustrated sigh, giving me a squeeze before letting me go, holding me away from him and kissing my forehead. "I loff you."

All of the things that could or wouldn't happen went through my head. How long would it be until I saw him, or until we could get married? And what about what I would feel afterwords, when he was gone? And if I somehow I managed to be blessed with a child from our joining, and he never came back…

"I'm s-so scared," I sobbed, clinging to him again. I felt like a small child again, holding onto my father's pant leg as he went to leave for Bosnia, or Egypt. But this was Viktor, not my father, and I wanted him by my side, always. "Please, d-don't leave m-me."

Would Viktor be the next one hurt? One teacher had already been killed—dozens more children had been taken home, what with the death and the attack earlier in the year. Would my sister, my brother, would I be next?

"I half to," he said, and for a moment I thought that I had heard a slight waver in his voice. "I vould stay vith beautiful fiance, vere it possible." He gently pushed my hair from my face, kissing my exposed temples. His smile made me smile too, albeit it was a watery one. "Do not be scared. Nothing vill happen."

I pushed shakily away from him, trying to get a hold of my emotions. Was I happy, sad, angry? I'd never felt so dependent on someone in my life, and it was scary. I started to pace, and tried to forget the pain I'd felt when I'd walked into a room of people I didn't know, without the man who knew all of them. Their accusing stares had been so selfish and racist. I wasn't one of them; I wasn't pure. "Where were you when I needed you?" I asked softly, finally stopping my pacing. There were so many things that ran through my mind, most of them pointless. I couldn't see Viktor cheating on me—not when he'd proposed, not when he'd done so much to keep us together.

"I am protecting you," he said softly. He didn't reach out to touch me, or comfort me. He knew that I needed my space. "You, alvays you."

That was when it hit me. Things, all over the world, had been filled with crazies and wack-jobs that wanted to destroy the way we lived. In England, Harry was dealing with Voldemort. I—along with every other Muggle-born and part-Muggle wizard in America—was dealing with the KKK of the Wizarding world. It only made sense that Bulgaria was doing the same. Panic started to set in as I tried to remember what the man's name was who started the rebellion, back in Dumbledore's day—Grindelwell? Willelvald?

"_Grindelvald,_" Viktor said softly, his eyes lowered to the floor.

I flew around, a hot, indignant blush in my cheeks. "You looked at my thoughts!"

"I had to know vhat you vere thinking," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

With my teeth gritted, I gave him a glare that had rivaled any I'd ever given him. "You're going out to try and destroy the army that's rising up." I sensed his cringe, and I couldn't help but let a frustrated cry, and a few furious tears. "Damn it, Viktor, what the _hell_?"

He tried to reach out, but I shrugged away from his touch.

"You can't tell me that 'nothing will happen.' Because I know that _something _will. Are you hurt?"

He set his jaw and shook his head stubbornly. "No."

"I don't believe you." He forgot that I could read almost everything in his eyes. He was in pain. Whether from hurting me, or from a physical wound, he was hurt. "First, Marie gets killed. Now I figure out you're going out and playing soldier!"

His eyes flashed indignantly. "Noothing vill happen."

"You don't _know_ that!"

No matter how many things I could convince my husband—_fiancé_—of, when he wanted something, he wouldn't let it go. And when he wanted to protect me...well, this was proof of that. "I half to go, Leahn, Grindelvald killed my grandfather."

"Damn Grindelwald!" I whispered furiously, feeling more tears stinging my eyes, hating the fact that I was right. I turned away from him. Tears, they were romantic. But snot was not, and I quickly conjured a hanky to blow my nose with. "He c-could k-kill _you_, t-too!"

Viktor came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, leaning down to kiss my shoulder, my neck, slowly, lovingly. "Do you really think so little of me?"

I clenched my eyes shut and tried not to lean back into him. "N-no. You're a brilliant wizard. B-but—"

He silenced me by forcing my head to the side and kissing me softly. "Then _stop_," he whispered after pulling away. I felt myself nodding. Slowly, I was turned around until he had me in his arms, and he sat down at the end of the bed, myself in his lap.

Very, very slowly, as if not to scare me, he leaned forwards and kissed me like he had the first time we'd kissed—barely touching his lips to mine, just the mere ghost of a kiss.

"My loff," he breathed, gently ghosting his lips across my cheekbone, down my jaw, making my heart rate speed up and my breathing quicken.

It was then that I knew that if not now, then not ever.

"I'm scared," I gasped, suddenly noticing that his hands had been massaging my thighs and back. "I don't know if…what if I don't—" The chance that I couldn't please my soon-to-be husband flashed through my mind, and I felt a wave of nausea coming. "I want to please you," I whispered, grasping his face and pressing my lips against his for only few moments, but when I pulled away his eyes were dark, and his hands had stopped moving.

"Leahn, you…?"

I couldn't let him talk or I'd lose my courage. "I know that I won't the first time, or even the second time, but I want to please you, Viktor, and I don't think that I…I mean, say that I don't…" I felt a hot blush in my cheeks, wondering how much of a virgin I could be when I asked, "What if we don't fit?" _Oh, why didn't I take that advise from Alex when I could?_

I'd never felt so insecure. At the moment, I wasn't First Lieutenant Leigh Ann Nelson, Champion of The American Academy of Magic. I was just Leigh Ann Nelson, scared woman. It was as if everything in the world revolved around him, now. His happiness, his well-being... If something in his life wasn't right, I wanted to fix it. This was what he wanted, so I wanted it, too. I wanted to be with him every moment of the day, and even every moment of the night. I'd never felt this kind of love before, but I knew that this was what love was. I loved him so much, that I was willing to let him erase my fears.

He leaned forwards and gently kissed me again, lovingly cupping my face before he pulled back and there was a smile on his face. "Ve vill fit, my loff."

My entire face was on fire as he leaned forwards and kissed my nose. "I-I know you've waited a long time for this, a-and I have too, b-but I'm just worried that…I won't be up to your expectations, and y-you won't want me if I don't…if I'm not…" I realized then that I'd never just wanted to save myself till marriage—no, I loved Viktor, and I would have made love to him before this.

I'd been afraid. Afraid of the pain, and the thought that I wouldn't please my lover.

Viktor's eyes hadn't lost their almost black look, and he had a small smile on his face that seemed to only be for me. "I vill _alvays_ vant you, Leahn. You have saved yourself for me, meaning that I vill teach you." His lips started tracing my brow, my cheeks, my jaw, and I slowly started relaxing on his lap. "It is how it should be. A hoosband, teaching his vife."

_But we aren't married yet. _I had to take a deep breath before I asked the next question. For just a moment, I wished that he would stop the wonderful treatment so that I could speak right. "What if…what if we make a baby?"

He suddenly jerked up, his eyes showing an emotion that I had never seen before. "Do…" He had to start over again, as if the words had gotten stuck in his throat. "Do you vant a baby?"

Now, looking back, I wondered how long I had sat there, thinking that question over. I'd always wanted children, but what if Viktor never came back from this brewing war? I'd thought that only Britain had been going through the beginnings of a war, but now Bulgaria was, too, and then there was the United States problem. I couldn't get away from it. He could die, and I would be left alone with his child to remember him by.

Then again, we could start a family.

"Leahn?" he asked, gently grasping my chin and turning me to look at him. "Do you vant a baby?"

I took a deep, shaky breath again, giving him a questioning look before staring down at my hands in my lap. "I…I don't know."

"If you do not," he said slowly, as if testing the words, "I vill brew potion. If you do, then I vill not."

"There's only a small chance that I could get pregnant," I said softly, not daring to meet his eyes. "We could not, and then see what happens."

Viktor kissed my temple with so much love that my heart could have burst. "I do not vant you to be baby-making voman all of life. I do not vant to vear body out making babies. Ve can alvays start later in life."

_He…he's thinking about my welfare? So that I don't die an early death for giving him many children? Or does he not want them?_

That last thought made my heart sink. I made myself look at him, though it was only for a second as I looked back down to my hands. "…Do you not want children, Viktor? Is that why you're askin' these questions?"

He groaned and kissed me again, though harder, using my hair as a ballast to pull me closer, parting my lips first off. For a few long, wonderful moments, we explored each other's mouths in a possessive, heated kiss. He spent time exploring my entire mouth, as if he hadn't already mapped it all out.

Finally, he pulled away. The look in his eyes was frightening, but I didn't look away. "If you vould hold my child…" he whispered, gently placing one shaking hand on my stomach, looking at it. Then, after those few soft moments, he bowed his head to place a kiss there. "I vould be the _lookiest_ man alive."

I took a deep breath, trying not to look in his eyes. It took me a moment to speak. "Promise me one thing."

His expert lips started to make magic on my neck, and I vaguely heard an, "_Anything, my loff._"

I had to stop his work and forced him to pay attention, turning myself around and straddling his legs. He didn't seem to mind stopping his ministrations as soon as I did this, and his hands landed lightly on my hips. "You don't fight."

He sighed and squeezed my hips slightly, before leaning forwards to gently kiss the tip of my nose. "I half to, loff."

"No. Do desk work, train men, but _please_ don't fight," I begged, wrapping my arms around his neck. I leaned down and gently started to place kisses along his neck. "Please, please…"

He groaned, squeezing my hips even harder, pulling me up further onto him. I felt his bulge grinding against my thighs, and I had to bite my cheek to keep from letting out a lust-filled groan. When I opened my eyes, our lips were mere inches apart, and there was a feral look in his eyes. "Loff…if you vant me to go slow tonight, you must stop that."

"Just promise me it," I breathed against his lips, not sure if I wanted to look at them or his eyes. "Please. For me."

It took a moment, but then he relaxed, hugging me. "I promise."

*****Under 18? Stop here.*****

I knew that now it was time, now that I'd gotten him to promise me. I leaned down and gently kissed him once more, letting instinct take over, letting our lips learn again, learn each other. "Viktor…I love you," I sighed against his lips, which then made him pick me up, moving to lay me on my bed. I was starting to feel self-conscious, and was glad that I'd shaved my legs that morning.

"Don't vorry, little vun," he said softly, leaning down to gently caress my face. "It vill only hurt for moment, and then I vill make sure that you are pleasured." He pulled my face up, gently kissing me with such an intensity that I almost forgot where we were. I almost didn't feel his hands sliding up my hips, to pull the nightgown over my head. But by the time he'd done it, I'd noticed, but I was now only covered in a simple pair of cotton underwear and a similar sports bra.

_Not very sexy,_ I thought, but as his hands gently roamed, I knew that he appreciated it very, very much.

His callused thumbs gently brushed over my breasts, and I bit my lip to hold in a small sigh. I felt exposed, and knew that he needed to have less clothes on to feel the same way. I slowly sat up, my legs on either side of his lean hips. He looked at me with a quiet intensity as I started to unbutton his shirt. My fingers were shaky, but somehow I still managed to pull them apart. His chest was then bared to me, and I couldn't help but lean forwards, kissing the muscles that had for so long teased me. He was grasping my hips, holding me still, and when I darted my tongue out to taste his salty skin, his hands tightened to the point of pain. It was nice to know that I'd started off somewhat correctly, and I wasn't making a muck of things.

...yet.

I reached up and gently pushed the old-fashioned shirt off his shoulders. His entire chest was now bare to me, and I drug my slim fingers down the muscles. He took a deep breath, allowing me my time to explore his body as he would soon do to me. I kissed his chest once, twice more, until he growled a deep, _"Enough,"_ into my ear, and the roughness of his voice sent a shiver of something unusual through my body. He gently pushed me back on the bed, and I scooted over, making enough room for him. He chuckled in a low tone, sending another of those things through my body again. He gently, slowly moved onto the bed, trying not to scare me, and he pulled me to him, kissing me with a slow passion that quickly built.

Yes, I was nervous, but I knew that I wanted this. I wanted him to hold me, I wanted to know what was in all of those stupid romance books that I read that made the girls love it all so much. I knew that he was just trying to keep me calm, but something was building up inside of me and I needed him _now_.

I pulled him on top of me, feeling my legs wrapping around his waist. He groaned in what I knew was his own pain and pleasure, and I knew that he wanted what I wanted. He'd somehow found a way to rid himself of his pants, and before I knew it, my bra was gone as well.

_That_ was when my nervousness hit me. I tried to cover myself, but he grasped my wrists and pulled them up over my head. "Do not," he rasped, holding me there for a moment, looking down on my breasts. "You are _beautiful._" He leaned down and kissed each pink bud, making me bite my lip. I wanted to grasp his hair, which had managed to grow out, and I wanted to hold him to my breasts for some reason.

His lips gently traced over one breast, then the other. I was biting my lip, trying to hold in every feeling that I possibly had as he touched every part but the part that wanted touched most. "_Viktor_," I finally groaned, wiggling underneath him. My legs had come undone from his waist and were curling beneath him, wanting to be around him again but afraid of crushing him with the need for friction. He looked at me with a certain glint in his eyes, and then he gently licked the tip of my breast, never letting his eyes leave mine.

I almost died with the need to have him take it in his mouth. I moaned his name again, and that was when he pulled it into his mouth and worked magic with his tongue and his teeth. Finally he let go of my hands, using one of his to show attention to my other breast, the other to grip my hip, while I grasped his hair and forced his mouth fuller onto my breast.

Somewhere in his fascination with my chest, we'd both lost the last of our clothing. I felt exposed, but the attention he was giving me was exquisite. He pulled away and I whimpered, the cool air across my nipples making them ache. The other breast got the same attention, making my toes curl beneath us. Finally he looked up, his chin nuzzling the valley between my breasts as he gazed at me. "I vill get you ready," he explained softly, and I saw a flush coming across his cheekbones. His fingers gently skittered on my thigh, which made a surge of heat fly through me. "Do not be scared, loff."

"I'm not," I moaned, wishing that he would kiss me, or touch me, or do _something_ but just sit there and stare at my face. At least his eyes were cautious, caring. He leaned down and gently kissed me, so sweetly that I almost wept. That was when his fingers gently touched my most intimate part. I gasped as fright swept through me, his finger then inside of me and causing a very pleasurable feeling. It felt...strange, but at the same time heat was coursing through me. My hips rocked as his finger moved inside of me. That was when he added another finger.

Now it was slightly painful. I knew enough about intercourse to know that this wasn't exactly a part of it. So, when his lips left mine to suck on my pulse, I about asked what he was doing, but then I remembered what he said. _"I vill get you ready."_ He was trying to save me from more pain.

I felt myself smiling, and I pulled his lips up to mine to kiss him more, when suddenly he curled his fingers inside. I gasped as the pleasure rocketed me, and wanted to hit him when he smirked that roguish smirk. He started massaging my breast again, with his extra hand, and his lips roamed all over my neck.

I harshly whispered his name, rocking back and forth with the feelings he was installing in me. "_Viktor,_" I growled, his thumb doing something to another part of my intimate area, and I gasped as my entire womb clenched even tighter than it already was. "God, Viktor, I need you," I said in a voice that I thought sounded nothing like me, but I wanted him so, _so_ bad.

I felt him chuckling, and he rubbed himself up against me, his erection gently brushing against my thigh. "I vant you too, loff." He shifted his fingers again, and I moaned, ready for him to just do it and let me feel the pleasure. I was like a spring, getting wound tighter and tighter. Eventually I would explode. He caressed my cheek with his lips, gently nibbling his way towards my ear. "_Are you ready?_"

I nodded frantically, grasping his hair once more and forcing his lips on mine. His fingers pulled out of me, leaving me feeling vaguely empty. But then his fingers gently pushed against my small nub and stars burst behind my eyes as I bucked on the bed. His low laugh against my lips made heat spring to my cheeks as he pushed again, then plucked at it. I gave a small cry, biting his lip. I'd never felt such heat inside! I couldn't sit still, but I couldn't move because his body had mine pinned. My breath was coming in gasps as he played my body expertly.

I didn't know how many women he'd made love to, but he knew just spots to touch me in the next few moments that almost sent me over the edge. (I really didn't want to _know_ how many women he'd made love to.) He kept me from experiencing it fully, I knew that, because he'd slow or stop before I made it over. I was almost weeping with the need for satisfaction.

But my mind instantly stopped all thought process when his fingers moved and his thick heat gently pushed in, slowly. I felt nothing but instant pain as my virgin canal tried to stretch to fit him all. I gasped and clawed at his back, trying to find a way to tell him that it _really hurt._

"V...V-Viktor!" I shouted, feeling my throat clench from the tears, gasping for air. "V-Viktor, st-stop!"

He instantly froze within me, and I was sure that the worst of the pain wasn't even over. "My loff, it vill only hurt for a moment more." He kissed me, gently caressing the tears away, trying to calm me down. It took a while of him staying inside of me, of his shaking frame as he tried to control himself, before I thought I was ready to start again. "Are you alright?"

Those three words helped me in that moment. He'd asked me them so many times. It was only fitting that he asked it now. So I nodded, and he pushed into me slowly again with his thickness, small by small, until I knew that he was at my virgin wall. I felt raw and full of pain, and then he pushed past my virginity. I gasped as the pain shot through me, and I held back a sob as I bit my lip. He whispered soothing things in my ear, his voice harsh and shredded, his hands gently petting my hair. He kept apologizing, his hands touching me everywhere, trying to sooth me, and I knew that he was beating himself up inside for hurting me.

Slowly, _very_ slowly, my body got used to him, and I moved, feeling quite a bit of pleasure when he sunk in just a little bit more. I moaned his name in passion, but he must have taken it another way. "My loff, stay still. The pain vill leaf."

I grasped his head and pulled him down into a kiss that left no question on what I wanted or felt. _I want to go over that edge!_ He gently moved inside of me, making both of us take deep breaths, trying to work together, trying to find that spot to hit our high. We moved almost perfectly together, and finally I figured out how to move my body against his. I was sore, yes, but his hands along my body and his heat inside of me, I couldn't do anything but moan his name and meet him slow thrust for slow thrust.

"Ah, you are so tight, loff," he breathed into my ear, his lips gently caressing my temple. "So _vonderba._" I knew that he was going slow for me. That didn't mean that I didn't want more, though. I pulled him down to me and bit his ear, whispering for him to go faster, harder—anything to get me to where I needed to be.

He suddenly grasped my hips, pulling them up. We both moaned when he filled me to the hilt, and he started moving faster, squeezing my hips and digging his nails into my skin. The sweat built up in between us, and he growled my name. My legs wrapped around his waist, keeping my hips tilted up, leaving his hands free. He grasped my breasts, molding them beneath his thick hands, and I gasped. Then his hands started moving downwards again, to the joining of our bodies. His thumb went down between us, gently rubbing against a sensitive ball of nerves down there.

That was when I felt something flowing out of me as I hit that peak, as stars burst behind my eyes. The best feeling in the world exploded from me, and I couldn't understand what it was, other than thinking that my spring had finally exploded, and I was alive. I'd never felt so free or wild as I gave off that cry, gasping for air as he slowed his movements, groaning.

At first, after I came slowly down off of that high, I thought that it was blood running from me, and I started to pull away, worried that I'd done something wrong. Instead, Viktor reached a finger down between us, bringing back up a rather sticky-looking liquid, letting his tongue gently lap the essence up.

I was blushing like a virgin, (which, I no longer was, I realized with a pang to my heart,) when Viktor looked back to me, a feral look in his dark eyes. He leaned down to kiss me, and I tasted something salty—myself.

He made me wrap my legs around his waist again and we continued our pace, only faster. I was amazed at how fast his hips could move against mine, at how much pleasure he could cause by just growling Bulgarian words in my ear. He would show attention to my breasts, he would bite the side of my neck when he decided to torture me and leisurely pull out of me, then just as slowly push back in.

It was then that I noticed that he was grasping me so tightly that I thought that I would have bruises, and I didn't bruise. I shouldn't have been thinking of that, though. Viktor was savagely taking me, and he was thrusting his tongue into my mouth at the same pace that he was thrusting into me, like a stallion to a mare. My lips were swollen and the skin around my mouth was burned from his scruff. His pace was rather painful, but at the same time it was so exquisite that I couldn't ask him to be gentle. I was building up again, and when he pulled one of my legs higher, over his shoulder, bringing my hips up to meet his, I hit my second peak. It wasn't as long as the first, but it was just as exquisite, and I moaned his name over and over again. It was about the same time that I felt his entire body stiffen, and he shouted my name into the heavens, forcefully thrusting into me many more times until I felt his seed eject inside of me.

Viktor fell, sweaty and tired, on top of me. I couldn't breathe or move, but I was okay with that. He dug his face into my breasts and I gently petted his head, kissing his curls, as he playfully nipped at the valley between my breasts. It was all fun and giggles and swats, at least until he started suckling my breast, which then made my womb start up that passion again. I knew that it took men a while to get their "energy" back, but he seemed to want to go again.

I wasn't complaining.

I moved to try and help him with our lovemaking once more, but the pain between my legs was rather harsh. It hurt enough that I gave a little gasp. He must have heard, because he sat up quickly, gently cupping my face and looking me in the eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, moving his hands down to inspect every part of me. And a part of me thought of the first time that we had met. He'd asked me the same question, and I was about to give him the same answer.

"I-I'm fine," I whispered, his hands igniting fire along every inch of my body. I had to bite my lip to hold back a moan as his hands moved over my thighs. But when I looked up, he looked slightly haunted, actually kind of fearful. "Viktor?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I am very sorry, my loff. I half hurt you."

I glanced down, trying to see what he was talking about, and I saw that there was a pool of blood underneath where we had made love. I had wondered if he'd hurt me that much, but I knew better. About half of the girls losing their virginity bled, and I tried to explain that to Viktor. "Viktor, its fine. You didn't hurt me. Its normal, I promise."

He still held a haunted look, and he gently ran his large fingers over my hip. I looked there to see that a slight bruise was already forming, and in the size of his hand. I could see that he was really beating himself up over this. But he had no right to! I was perfectly fine, sore, yes, but that was expected, and I had had the most wonderful experience of my _life_!

I sat up, trying not to flinch, and took his face in my hands, leaning forwards to kiss his sensuous lips, trying to get a response out of him. He wouldn't budge. "Viktor," I said softly, caressing his face, "I can't say that I didn't hurt you, either." I reached over his shoulders to touch the long scratches on his back. And when I pulled back blood, I felt very, very bad. "See?"

"It is...it is not the same!" he growled, standing up from the bed. I was dismayed to see him leaving, and I couldn't help but feel my heart drop into my stomach. My throat was tight and my eyes were trying to cry, but I wouldn't let them, so they stung. I pulled the cover up over my naked body, feeling suddenly sad and uncomfortable. "I am the man," he said softly, wrapping a blanket around his midsection, "and you are the voman. I should not half hurt you."

I was about to argue back when he came around to my side of the bed and he picked me up. "Viktor!

He carried me into the private bathroom adjoining the Quarters, using some form of wordless and wandless magic to quickly fill the large bathtub.

I felt completely open to him, being in his arms, in the light, but he just gently kissed me and sat me down in the warm water. I instantly flinched, and the look on his face turned stonier. He brought forth the sponge, I noticed, and he started lathering me from head to toe, showing extra attention to my breasts and between my legs, being as gentle as possible. I noticed that my breasts were red and the skin around the nipples was irritated. The bruises on my hips were starting to turn dark and ugly.

He kissed me once, twice, and a third time before I grasped his neck between my hands and held him prisoner. I knew that he could break my grip with no problem at all, but he didn't. Instead he leaned into me, kissing me harder, until somehow he ended up in the tub, and I resumed kissing him until I got another response from him.

Needless to say, the soreness didn't go away, but we made love in the tub, and then once more back in the bedroom afterward. The last thought that had been in my mind, as I'd fallen asleep on his chest, was that I really, _really _loved this man. And I told him, too.

"I loff you too, Leahn," he said softly, petting my hair and kissing the top of my head. "Now sleep, loff."

"Don't leave me..."

"I vill be here."

* * *

**Or will he be?**

**Um...leave me a review? You've all been waiting for this. By now, I might have quit this story unless I was REALLY interested in a long one, (reading it, I mean, not writing it.) Anyways, thank you for putting up with my way-too-detailed story, plus the stupid chapters that really didn't need to be there that you really didn't care about reading.**

**Sometimes, I'm just in it for the smut.**

**Next chapter, yes?**

It was last period Medical Potions and Remedies and I was just getting to pack up when something felt… _wrong_. I knew that something wasn't right, and so I stood up, ready to investigate. The Professor, Doctor Samantha Swells, seemed to notice too, and she and I moved to get a better view of outside.

Screams rang through the hallways, and I started running, drawing my wand out. I was in the hallway right as the fire started erupting from other classrooms. Hooded figures in white cloaks were riding on broomsticks—_is that _my _broomstick?_—through the fire, laughing maniacally and conjuring anything at the people who were either running or trying to fight the fire.

"_Aqua Eructo_!" The jet of water exploded from my wand, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't put out the fire.

_"Leigh Ann!" _Doctor Swells cried,_ "its Fiendfyre!"_

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**It'll be 7 reviews to post in a week, and 15 to post immediately! Let me know what you think!**


	43. Fiendfyre

**Hello, my dears! My first quarter of Senior year equals complete success! (Well, besides losing our Homecoming game and losing our pre-playoff game in the last 19 seconds to a bad call.) (Then again, we beat our rivals for the first time in 8 years and had a pre-playoff game for the first time in 16 years.)**

**Top 10%, here I come!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I OWNED my physics class, haha!**

* * *

**Fiendfyre**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****February 1, 1996, 4:32 P.M.  
****Medical Potions and Remedies**

You'd think by now, I'd be a quivering mass of patheticness on the floor, crying for my lost love who broke my heart into one hundred million tiny pieces. And you know what, for a few seconds, I was that little quivering mass that sobbed and cried. But then I started throwing things, and that made me feel better. I went out to the shooting range and took some heads off of some poor, defenseless training dummies. That made me feel better, too.

Still, I'd sit in class and my mind would drift to that wonderful morning after I'd woken up. I'd rolled over, expecting to wrap my arm around Viktor, and...he wasn't there. I should have been expecting it, but my heart still felt like it was ripping in half.

_Pah, Grindelwald,_ I thought as I picked at my pencil over my last period Medical Potions and Remedies review sheet. _Screw you, Grindelwald. _I wished that I could put some kind of tracker on Viktor and follow him out there, follow him out and kick his ass, then destroy Grindelwald's secret army and finally marry the man I loved.

If he disappeared on me again, though, I didn't know if I could love him for too much longer.

I put my pencil down and gave up on trying to concentrate for my test the next day. My mind was going one hundred miles a minute and I couldn't think about anything but war and sadness. I started thinking about Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred and George...all of them were dealing with Voldemort in England. It'd been two months since I'd heard back from any of them, so something had to have been wrong.

And then there was America's problem—America was coming down with The War as well.

Or at least that was what I thought. Some of the students in the Academy were becoming secretive, or maybe they always had been. I'd seen too many things in my life to be sure, but I knew that something was going wrong. I'd heard things, and I kept having the nightmare about my kidnapping. Something was very, very wrong.

The bell was about to ring, so I started packing up. That was when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I knew that something wasn't right, and so I stood up, ready to investigate. The Professor, Doctor Samantha Swells, seemed to notice too, and she and I moved to get a better view of outside.

Screams rang through the hallways, and I started running, drawing my wand out. I was in the hallway right as the fire started erupting from other classrooms. Hooded figures in white cloaks were riding on broomsticks—_is that _my _broomstick?_—through the fire, laughing maniacally and conjuring anything at the people who were either running or trying to fight the fire.

"_Aqua Eructo_!" The jet of water exploded from my wand, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't put out the fire.

"Leigh Ann!" Doctor Swells cried, "its Fiendfyre!" One of the ghouls flew by and grabbed at the bun on top of her head, dragging her to the floor. She almost was pulled into the feindfyre, but I hexed the white-garbed person into next week.

"I know," I breathed, looking around, begging to see someone I knew who could help. The one person I'd momentarily forgot about popped into my mind. "Viktor! Where's Professor Krum?"

"Not here," Swells growled, standing back to back with me, shooting hexes away from small children who were running out of their First Year Potions class. Together, we created a small tunnel of Fiendfyre to let the smaller children out. "He's out working on something."

_Like always_.

My heart was pounding in my chest as Sam and I got rid of the last of the flying characters. I hadn't worked with Fiendfyre since Fourth Year, and then in Fifth we'd mastered it. (Well, mostly, as we'd been over in Britain during that time, and they kind of looked down upon Fiendfyre. It was alright, in the correct hands.) It was starting to get hot in the brick building, the rooms heating up like kilns.

"Everybody OUT!" I exclaimed, grinding my teeth together. By this time more teachers outside, trying to put the fire out. It only kept getting bigger. We were slowly being pushed out of the one-hundred-year-old building. I knew that it would have to be sacrificed.

"My building," I heard Doctor Swells sob, and I wanted to reach out and put my arm around her, but I was too busy trying to keep the fire from spreading any further, out to the other buildings, and to make sure that no more kids were inside.

I heard a cry from inside one of the rooms and my heart stopped. I turned to the Doctor, "Get out of here!"

"You had better be right behind me, Nelson," she said, leading out the second to last child, her blue eyes blazing into mine.

"We'll see," I murmured, following the sound of the child crying. I ran past Medical Potions and Remedies and Potions, almost to the Herbology greenhouses in the back portion of the building, when I heard the crying right next to me. Sweat was dripping into my eyes and my clothes were plastered to my skin. I thanked God that I'd worn my thick-soled boots as I walked into the room, searching through the smoke to find the small child.

Instantly, the door behind my back slammed shut and locked from the outside, and the crying sound I'd heard turned into evil, maniacal laughter. I felt the blood drain from my face, but I stiffened my wand arm and looked around, trying to see through the smoke and the fire that threatened to consume me.

"_Are you lonesome tonight?_" a voice asked as a piercing pain entered my mind, "_Do you miss me tonight?" _I fell to the ground, clutching my head, trying to keep from letting them into my head. The pain just grew more intense. I could no longer keep the fire at bay, either, and it was inching closer. A face appeared in the fire, looking at me with eyes that loved the pain I was in. "_Are you sorry we drifted apart, Leigh Ann?_"

"Get out of my head!" I screamed, tears falling from my eyes. It was so intense that I fell to the floor, clutching my head between my hands, my wand against my temple as I tried to block the voice out.

The voice cackled, some kind of sick, bone-rattling sound that made my insides cold. "_We know everything about you, Leigh Ann. We found all of that the last time we had you."_

I couldn't let the panic get to me. Somehow, I had to shut down all of my emotions, but I was in _so much pain. _"Leave me alone!" _They know about Viktor. How? I've been blocking them out!_

"_Love me tender, love me true,_" it started singing in that raspy voice, the fire licking at my hands that were now on the ground, but I finally pushed them out and stood up, my wand shaking as I glared at the fire in fury.

"No! Get the hell out of my school!" I shot curses into the fire, pushing it back slightly. It had nothing to burn in the room any longer except me. "This is _over."_

"_Over_?" the voice asked, suddenly gaining what sounded like one hundred more behind the dusty voice that was already there. "_My dear Leigh Ann...this has only just begun!"_

"Fuck. You."

Right at that moment, right before I was about to send all of my energy and magic into that fire, a beam fell from the ceiling with a good dose of Fiendfyre on it. I attempted to jump out of the way, but a body flew into mine and pushed me up against the hot stone wall. I recognized the long, hard male body and the grizzly cheek of my own fiance, Viktor Krum. He pinned me against the wall, yelling what I knew to be curses in Bulgarian. "Vhat are you _doing_ in here?"

I snatched my arms from his hands, shoving him backwards. "I could ask you the same question," I growled, reaching down to snatch up my wand. My entire body was shaking, thinking about how the KKK knew about Viktor. _They can do whatever they want to me, but if they hurt _him_..._ "They trapped me in here, and I'm trying to stop this."

"There is _no_ stopping this," he growled, grabbing my arm. I took my time to look at him now, and I noticed that his hair was long enough to be perfectly curly, his beard scruffy. Large bags were under his eyes and a large welt was under his jaw, disappearing below his shirt. He was wearing simple robes that seemed to blend in to everything. "Now out of here before you are hurt!"

I bit my lip, feeling slightly nauseous from the smoke, and pushed him away from me. _Better now than if they find him._ "Don't you dare touch me, Viktor." His surprised look was matched with one of urgency and agony.

"_Lieutenant, get your ass out of there!_" I heard from outside, but I was going to speak my mind.

"Viktor, I know what you're doing up there, fighting for your country, for your family, _but I want to be your family._ You left me standing there, in your childhood home with everyone looking at me with spite. I held my head high, then. You left me lying in a bed after you made love to me. That almost broke me. So I want to know where the hell you've been."

"Leahn, ve moost—"

"I'm so sick of this, Viktor! I love you, God help me, but I do. Tell me, please."

"Leahn! I am—"

"TELL ME!"

He stared at me for a moment, his eyes hard, distant. My scream had been desperate, raw, and it had held ever single emotion that was threatening to boil out from inside of me. I had been so close to dying before, when they'd kidnapped me. I was almost consumed by fiendfyre before he'd fond me once more. I needed to know this.

He set his jaw and looked to the ground, leaning forwards to gently place a kiss on my forehead. "Meet in my chambers after all of this is over vith."

I felt anger bursting inside of me as the fire surrounded us. "No. You will meet on my terms or we won't meet at all." He gritted his teeth, a vein popping out of his neck, and nodded stiffly. "Good. Meet in my room at twenty-one-hundred hours tonight. You're going to tell me what the hell is so important, or I'm going to figure it out myself."

He didn't say anything, he only grabbed me and pulled me close to his body, and then it felt like I was being pulled through a small tube, and we were outside of the school, my face pressed into a very familiar chest.

I pulled myself away, looking up in to his haggered face, and my hormones went into overdrive. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck, lean up, and kiss that look off of his face, the one that was upset, the one that looked as if he would grasp my head and thrust his lips onto mine anyways. But I was pulled out of that wanting when two hands were on my back, and Doctor Swells was pulling me back to her, running her hands over me, her wand, and mumbling words that I didn't understand.

Doctor Swells knelt beside me. "I should beat you, Leigh Ann! I don't care what sense of pride you have—"

"Doctor, I—"

"—but you should know better than to stay inside a building full of Fiendfyre!"

"—Doc, I had it under control—_OW!_"

"Stupid, _stupid_ girl!"

I had to sit there and bear it as she took off my clothing, trying to help me, and I didn't even get any privacy. (At least I was left in the shorts I'd had on under my skirt and my tank-top.) Viktor stood there, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared down at my position on the burned grass. The remnants of the east wing of the school were in front of us, burning to the ground completely. A group of teachers and Officers were surrounding it, using a protective shield to keep it in one area.

I gasped as the doctor put a special cream on my arm, and then I gave a low groan as it started burning. "God, Doc! Give a girl a break, that burns!"

"You deserve it, you little over-protective, self-destructive, stupid, _stupid_ girl!" she growled, rubbing more of the cream on my burned arms. I wished I'd been wearing long-sleeves and pants instead of my short-sleeved uniform and my skirt. At least they would have given me more protection. I had to hold in a gasp of pain as she used her wand to try and heal me. Leah Sampson was helping too, and between the two, Viktor couldn't get at me to help.

I knew that he was upset with me for having risked my life in there, but that was my job. It wasn't up to him if I wanted to go into a burning building and save children. It wasn't up to him if I wanted to do _anything_.

He'd left me twice, and I deserved to know why.

* * *

**I am sorry it is not very long, lovlies.**


	44. Knowing

**Three day weekend! Hug a soldier or a veteran today and give up a salute to our flag!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but the military aspect of this story is mine!**

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**Knowing**

**Viktor Krum  
****February 1, 9:00 P.M.  
****Officer's Quarters**

She was crying when he Apparated into her room. She was looking out her window, to the destroyed building that was once a part of her school. Her back was turned to him, but he could see her thick, chestnut hair, let loose about her shoulders. He was glad that she decided to keep it long. She was dressed in a simple tanktop and a pair of what she called "shorts." Normally, he would have loved the look of them, and just looking at her in them would make his mouth water on sight. But seeing the burns and bandages along her legs took that away, and he felt ashamed that he couldn't protect her. And then, before, when...

He didn't deserve her after what he'd done.

Leigh Ann didn't turn around, but he knew that she knew that he was there. Her soft voice told him that much. "All of that destruction...and one of my own severely wounded." Now she turned, her big hazel eyes clouded with tears. "Viktor, what did any of us do to deserve this? Why have these Circle members decided to come out _now_? There are enough problems in England, and with whatever you've run off to do."

_Does she know?_ he wondered, wanting to walk up behind her and hold on, never to let go. "I..."

"I'm not finished," she whispered, turning back out to look at the dark, night sky. "I am eighteen years of age, almost nineteen. I'm engaged to the one and only Viktor Krum, and I'm one of the top twenty in my class of one-hundred. I should be so, so very happy. But I've been walked out on during the engagement party _for my fiance's family_...I've had sex, and then my partner has just walked away from me."

He cringed when he heard her say "sex." She'd never referred to it as that—always as "making love." He knew that she was trying to put a point across.

"Do you know how hard it is to walk into a room of people you don't know...with no one to walk towards? To see the face of your mother, your best friend, and your supposed true love's best friend staring at you with pity? To wake up after a night full of pleasure, to be alone in a large, cold bed." Her voice hadn't trembled until the word "pleasure." Just thinking of how tight she'd been, how receptive to his ministrations, made his pants tight and his eyes narrow as he stared at her.

_No...no, I must not think of this!_

"So tell me, Viktor," Leigh Ann said softly, turning to look at him, "where the _hell_ have you been goin'? What is so damn important that you leave me not once, but twice?"

He set his jaw as he stared at her dark, beautiful face. "Protecting you."

Her hazel eyes narrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. _Those hips that I grasped as I thrust into her tight sheath, making her scream my name, and—_ "_What_?"

He clenched his teeth to stop thinking about that—he had to, for her sake. "If they found you...if they knew about _us_...you vould be in danger. I half made it not so." _In a...way._

"'_They_,'" she mocked, throwing her hands up in the air. "'Grindelwald.' I'm so sick of him, I'm so sick of all of this!" She bit her lip as she readied to hit something, then thought better of it. She took a deep breath as she relaxed her fist. "You do realize that I love you Viktor...right?"

_No, please, Leigh Ann..._ his thoughts pleaded, when he thought of where this was going. "Just as I loff you."

She set her jaw and strode across the room, standing in front of him with her fists clenched. If this had not have been such a serious moment, he would have laughed at the vision she made, her angry face tilted up to look him in the eye, her fists clenched. "Then tell me _one thing._"

He remembered kissing her neck before they'd made love, promising her one thing: _Anything, my love._ He knew that saying it would break any promise he'd made himself. "Yes?" he asked softly, wishing that he could take the pain from her eyes.

Those same eyes started tearing up once more. "What did I do wrong?"

It took him a moment to understand. Leigh Ann—_his Leigh Ann—_was asking what she had done wrong. It took all of his strength not to laugh a that, but he kept from it. He reached up to cup her face in his hands, and he felt her shaking underneath his palm. "You half done nothing wrong, my loff."

"Then why won't you...why haven't you..." She blushed, frustrated, as she tried to find the words. He quickly discovered that she was just too embarrassed to say them. "I want you, Viktor. And you've pushed me away." Her large hazel eyes looked up to him. He couldn't do anything but stand there, stunned. Her eyes narrowed. "Like this! What did I do wrong, Viktor? This was what I'd been afraid of all along! Did I...not do...somethin'..._right_?"

Her entire face was red, including the tops of her breasts and all down her neck. He couldn't believe that she was actually asking him if she'd done something wrong when they'd slept together! On the contrary, it was everything that she did right_, _and _he_ did wrong.

"Did you not...like it?" He remembered how insecure she'd been before they'd made love. This only made him want her even more.

Viktor smiled as he gently placed his hands on her waist, pushing her back up against the wall near them. She looked up at him and gasped as he parted her legs with his knee to rub friction against the part he knew that she wanted it most. He heard her sexy, lust-filled moan, and he pressed his body against hers, feeling her breasts push up against him. He leaned down and started showing attention to the soft spots on her neck that he knew she liked.

"You," he whispered, pressing his erection against her thigh, "did _everything _right. If _this_ has anything to do vith it..." He removed his knee and replaced it with his erection, grinding their hips together. He loved watching her reactions to all of this, how she bit her lower lip to keep from crying out, and how her eyes sparkled in lust and wonder.

He groaned as she lifted up one leg, hooking it behind his back. The friction between their bodies mounted as he started showing attention to her breasts. His hands couldn't find enough skin as he gently bit and licked and sucked on her neck. All he could think about was being inside of her once more, holding her close, hearing her screams—

That was when he pushed away from the wall, turning and leaning against the very far, opposite one. He hid his face in shame as he thought of what he'd just about done to her again.

"Oh no you don't," she said angrily behind him, grasping his arm to pull him around. "Not this again, Viktor! I want you, a-and so, y-you..." Her face was beet red as she stamped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest. Again, it would have been a very funny moment if not for the seriousness of everything.

"You vant me to make loff to you again," he said softly, feeling his heart fall in agony. He gently took her face in his hands and kissed those soft, delectable lips. _I would...Leigh Ann, if only you knew._ He shook his head and simply told her, "I cannot."

"_Why_?" It was heart-wrenching to watch her eyes well up with tears, to see the pain in her eyes.

He silently looked around the room for her pensive that she kept with her at all times. It was on her bedside table. He grasped it and looked into it's reflective waters, urging himself to do it, to show her what he'd done. "I must show you," he said softly, taking her hand in his, setting it on the pensive. He took his wand and extracted the memory slowly, painfully.

And then he put it into the pensive.

**Leigh Ann  
****9:47 P.M.**

I had no clue what he was doing. All I could feel were the hormones being crazy inside of me and the incessant annoyance building from his distance. He used to be able to tell me everything—hell, he couldn't keep a secret from me...until now.

He gently took my hand into his callused one, looked me in the eye, and kissed my knuckles. "I must show you," he whispered again, nodding.

Suddenly I was pulled with him, into the pensive. The room was small, dirty, and filled with mildew. There was only a single light above us, flickering against the stone walls.

"Where are we?" I asked, tightening my grip on his hand.

Viktor simply replied with, "Bunker."

I saw three cloaked figures standing in front of dream-Viktor, all cloaked as he stared at them without emotion. He asked something that I knew wasn't Bulgarian, and he had to translate it for me. _"What do you need me to do to prove to you that I am who I am? I am for Him. He is a savior to our country against the Mud-blood kind." _He knew that I hated that word, but he'd said it anyways.

"What language is this?" I asked, my back stiff with dread.

"Russian."

"You speak Russian?"

"_Hush._"

The three men nodded their heads together. The group never looked away from him, nor did they turn to move. _"You will bring us the blood of a virgin to prove your worth," _one said, Viktor tersely repeating it in English. My heart instantly stopped.

The other said, _"You will then mix it into a potion—" _

"—_and drink it." _The third one nodded, which made the other two nod. _"We will give you the other ingredients after you bring us the blood. It will connect you to us. We will save some of it to finish your markings."_

Viktor could feel the burning on the back of his neck, as if it were incomplete. _"For Grindelwald," _he said seriously, never thinking of her.

"_For Grindelwald."_

There was a pause as the men said a few more things, but Viktor did not explain them. "I could not let you be in danger," he said softly, as if it excused his actions. The scene changed, and I was watching the men standing over Viktor, their hands out. "They vere reading my mind." I nodded, suddenly understanding his pained expression.

I took a deep breath, knowing that I would hate the answers to all of my questions. My hand felt sweaty in his grasp. "What are they lookin' at."

He swiped his hand and I caught a glimpse of Viktor, his back heaving as he plowed into a woman on a bed. For a moment, I had an awful feeling that he had slept with another woman, and this was his way of showing it. That was when I heard my own voice cry out his name. He looked menacing above me, his hands gripping my hips savagely as he plowed into my—then—very willing body. My voice sounded almost..._hurt._

The vision went away quickly, and Viktor was silent. "Is...is this what you saw our love as?" I asked in a voice that was almost non-existent. "Really?"

He clenched his jaw and nodded as he watched the men let Viktor stand. "_Very well,"_ Viktor translated the men for her, _"you have passed our test." _When he chanced a look over at me, I tried to hold my anger back as he handed the men a vial of virgin blood—_my _virgin blood.

"_Are you sure that we should trust him?"_

"_What other choice do we have?"_

"_His father was killed by Grindelwald."_

"_And he just raped a virgin for his own pleasure. Not only a virgin, but one of his own students! What do you _think_ he's doing?"_

**Viktor Krum  
****10:30 P.M.**

"I've seen enough," he heard her say in a shaky voice. The next instant, both of them were standing back in her room, her hands shaking. For a moment, she was silent. She couldn't look at him as she turned away from him, moving back to look out the window.

He stared at her—she was beautiful, wonderful, and everything that he couldn't have. He knew that she must have thought of him as a monster, using her for her virgin's blood, one of the most magical things in the world...at least to her.

"_How could you?_" she whispered, turning to wards him with fury in her eyes. He had no words as he looked to the floor, staring at her bare feet. "Viktor!" she shouted, punching him in the chest once, twice. "_Damn! _How could you?"

He couldn't bare to look at her. "I am sorry, my loff."

"Sorry. You're _sorry?_ How could you look at that night, and think...how could you show them that? That you _raped me_?" Her next hit made him look up at her, and she had such a fury in her bright eyes. He hadn't seen such fury since before she'd been taken by the Circle. "What the _hell_, Viktor! You took one of the most magical nights of my life and turned it into that sick, twisted memory!" The desperate look that she had on her face must have been mirrored by his. "You made me see stars. You made me climb mountains. And you thought that you _raped me_."

"Your screams..." he breathed, barely a whisper. He had to clench his eyes shut to try and forget them. "I vill not forget how in pain you sounded."

Leigh Ann looked at him incredulously, her beautiful lips hanging open slightly. "You thought...my _screams...?_" She gave off an irritated huff and paced across her room a few times, shaking her head back and forth all the while. "Every breath that I breathed...it wasn't in _pain_. The way you made me feel was..._incredible._"

"I _hurt you_."

"A few little pricks of pain?" she asked, giving off a small, humorless laugh. "Hurt a billion times less than when I woke up in a cold, empty bed." And, with that, Leigh Ann Apparated out of the room.

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**How will they get over this, you ask? Well...ask me that when I write it.**


	45. War

**PIE.**

**Disclaimer: I own pie. I do not own Harry Potter.**

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**War**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****March 3, 1996, 10:35 a.m.  
****Meeting Room**

"There's still a lot to talk about. Don't any of you move quite yet."

I groaned and put my face in my hands, trying not to put my elbows on the table. The other officers at the table did the same, the older ones keeping their cool, the younger ones yawning and trying not to nod off. We'd been up since five thirty, trying to keep our eyes open.

The talk had started off simple enough. We had to create a new watch schedule because two of or Naval Officers had gotten sick. Great. Wonderful. Why were we up at five thirty for a watch shift? Next, the talk went to the topic of building a new set of classrooms for potions and finish part of the greenhouse that had been burned down a few weeks ago. And then he started talking about trivial things like cafeteria food and restrictions on electronics. _God, I don't remember these things being so boring last year. Oh, wait, I didn't _do_ these last year._

Let's just say that it had been a long morning.

Then the General kept talking about defenses—what the Navy had to do to defend the waters, what the Air Force had to do to protect the air. A dark cloud fell over the room as he talked about the death of Marie Lingham and the student who died in the fire. I felt a slight panic start in my heart. _Everything just keeps getting worse. _

Suddenly the door got knocked, making everyone give a thankful breath. Maybe we would finally be allowed out of that dark, depressing meeting! The General gave a 'thank goodness' sigh and opened the magically-locked door. "Everyone, this is Joshua Gloria, from the Wizarding Capitol. Joshua, these are my officers."

Joshua was a good-looking Mexican man, a little taller than Viktor. He had deep hazel eyes and a white smile that made his eyes twinkle. His skin was like cinnamon and his hair was a light chocolate brown. "You forget that I went to school here, General." He walked in as if he had been in that room many times before. The way he held himself, the way he walked, told me that he was a very confident man.

The General just grunted. He looked a lot older with all of the attacks, his hair falling out faster than normal. The winkles around his face were sagging, probably from all of his lost weight. "I remember all my students. If you wouldn't mind, Joshua, I'd like you to debrief my officers."

The man nodded, his face suddenly serious. He looked out at us across the room. The thirteen of us were very hesitant, not quite sure why someone from the government was at our school. I had a very bad feeling about this.

"My name is Special Agent Joshua Gloria. I work for your government. I'm here to investigate the appearance of these masked hoodlums and put a stop to it." I instantly knew that I wouldn't like this guy. "As we've figured, these attacks are just students who want to end the school year with a prank. It has merely gone too far."

I stood up, not bothering with formalities. "If you would let me speak, Sir."

He raised one chocolate-colored eyebrow. "Ah, Nelson. I've worked with your mother. I'm sure that this will be an earful."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I was just going to inform you of what I know, Special Agent." He obviously had no clue what was going on here. I'd been kidnapped by these bastards, I knew what they were like. I knew a lot about them, other than what they were really after. They'd kept asking me about what I knew, but I hadn't known _anything_.

"Speak freely, Lieutenant, even though I know you already will."

_Ugh, the nerve!_ "Listen, you—"

"Leigh Ann, stand down," the General growled, his ice blue eyes glaring into me from the side.

I had to take a deep breath to calm down. "Apologies, sir. I need to tell the Special Agent of what I know. These aren't just some masked hoodlums. The Wizarding Ku Klux Klan is back."

The Special Agent put his hands on the table, leaning over it as I was. His eyes held something a little sinister. "That's a serious accusation, Nelson."

"It's _true. _You can't just stand there and say that this is nothing, Gloria!"

His honey-colored eyes narrowed evilly at me. "Stand down."

_He_ was telling _me _to stand down? "No, you listen to me. I've seen what these bastards can do. They're crazy and self-righteous and intent on destroying muggle-borns and half-bloods."

The last person I wanted to talk stood up, looking at me with blue eyes as icy as a North wind. "Leigh Ann, we know what happened to you, it was a shame, but—"

"Alana O'Malley, sit your ass _down_," I growled, glaring daggers at her impotent form. I was ready to tear her throat out. "You have no _idea_ what they put me through. You weren't there. You have no clue what those bastards are planning."

She at least had the brains to appear embarrassed. I still wanted to rip her eyes out. Joshua, standing across the table from me, watched our spat with amusement. "Leigh Ann, perhaps you are too close to the mission to be a part of this."

"To be a part of _what_? There's going to be a war going on, and you're all idiots if you don't see it!"

His eyes glittered menacingly. "I see how this is going to be."

**1:04 p.m.  
****Hallways**

I bitterly scratched at my head as I walked the halls of the deserted school. I missed the sound of children's laughter. I missed the loud, obnoxious voices of my friends. They were either still in the meeting room, or they were Muggle, and their parents h ad taken them out of school.

_I can't believe that man kicked me out of my own meeting! _I thought, scowling at the floor. Something wasn't right about that guy. He rubbed me the wrong way. I made a mental note to send a message to my mother and ask about him.

One thing I'd heard, though, before the General had "asked" me to leave, was pretty important. Apparently the school was staying open all summer as a "refugee" camp for Muggles. It had amazing fortification. No Dark Wizard was going to get through our walls. I knew that it would help a little, even if this man would be a pain in my side. The General was there for me, and I had the support of a lot of people in the school.

_Sigh._

The Academy was going to be a "base of operations" for one of the biggest battles in centuries. I was just alone in thinking it, though. No one saw this war but me.

Sighing once more, I turned into the woman's restroom and screamed at what I saw.

**Viktor Krum  
****March 3, 11:46 p.m.  
****Officer's Quarters**

He looked at her, small, vulnerable in the bed. She was lying on her side, like always, one hand beneath the pillow and one over it. Her legs were always wrapped around a pillow and her blankets only ever covered her feet unless they were both in the same bed. He tried to keep her covered, but she tended to kick off the covers at night.

Viktor gently sat down on the bed, trying not to disturb her. He hadn't been back to her room in weeks, only seeing her in class and between classes when he wasn't "away." She still hadn't looked at him like she used to. There'd always been desire underneath her calm facade, but now...there was nothing but contempt and hurt.

Leigh Ann was breathing softly, her hair loose about her face. Viktor had to wipe back a strand of hair that had fallen onto her forehead. He wanted to lie down beside her, like he usually did, but it seemed as if she would push him away in her sleep.

Sighing, he made to get up, but her hand caught his. "Get in this bed, Krum."

Viktor raised an eyebrow at her tone but obliged, kicking his shoes off and throwing his shirt away, already in his sleeping pants. The second he was under the covers, she snuggled into his warmth, still half asleep, and laid her head on his chest. He wanted to apologize for everything, but he knew that she would just get mad at him. "Leahn..."

"I lost a little girl today," she said softly, apparently wide awake. Her eyes were staring at the far wall, not bothering to look up at him. Her forehead had worried creases in it.

He hadn't heard anything about this. Being a teacher, he'd expected to hear everything about this rebellion that was going on. Apparently this wasn't the case. "Vhat?"

"Kylee Johanson, age twelve, First Year Air Force." Her voice was void of all emotions, but, when he looked down, he saw tears in her eyes. "I found her hanging from the rafters in the girl's bathroom this morning. She didn't weigh enough for the noose to snap her neck, so she suffocated to death. The bastards probably enjoyed watching her struggle and die."

_So much hatred, so much death,_ he thought, running his hand down her side. He wondered if she was still mad at him. Obviously there were other things on her mind. "You found who did this?"

Leigh Ann shook her head. Her fingers were drawing shapes on his chest, her nails gently going through the light hair there. "No. They're the same ones who burned down the medicine ward. The same ones who scared the hell out of all the muggle-borns on Halloween." She sighed and stretched, looking at the clock beside the bed. It read **3:49 AM **in bright green letters, so she laid back down on his chest and finally looked up at him. "Could you...stay here with me? Just for tonight? I keep having these nightmares, and being the one to find her today...or yesterday, I guess.."

He met her gaze strongly, wondering if she would turn away first or continue looking at him with that Nelson stubbornness. She didn't turn away until he answered, "Of course." The tension instantly left her body and she sagged back against him, practically asleep. "But...you are not mad at me?"

"I've realized, seeing all of this meaningless destruction and death...watching those Russian bastards brand the back of your neck...that we may never live to see our wedding. We may never see tomorrow. I could wake up and find that the next teacher's funeral is for you, and I can't stand that." Her hazel eyes met his, and for once, he could see straight into his soul. "I want to be with you when I can, Viktor. And, even though you've made some hideous mistakes already, I know that this is your first time being engaged, too. I love you, and I don't want to loose you."

Viktor smiled down to her and leaned down to kiss those beautiful lips. "I vill protect you."

"Well, protect me a little less, okay? I'm a big girl."

He gave a 'humph' of amusement and pulled the blankets up higher, shushing her and telling her to go to sleep. She obliged very happily.

* * *

**Sorry it's short, folks! Things get pretty heated up in the next few chapters. I can't write as scarily as JK, but I'm trying to make the Circle seem like a real threat. It's probably not working, right?**


	46. Illness

**Turns out, my classes in High School—French, not Spanish. So, if my Spanish is a little off, (or a lot off,) I apologize.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I can't do the whole conjugating thing, either. Which means I can't write Spanish.**

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**Illness**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****March 25, 1996, 2:32 a.m.  
****Officer's Quarters**

My eyes opened from dead sleep and I sat up, ignoring the dizzy swirling in my head. _Something is wrong. _I reached over, feeling for Viktor, but he was gone. _And not even a note this time. _The last few times, he'd tried to leave me something so I didn't think he was leaving me. Some of them had been things like, _"Gone to class, you slept in,"_ plus a cute little Bulgarian saying that I loved. Others were not so adorable, consisting of concealed messages to tell me where he was going, but leaving me out of what he was actually doing.

Suddenly my throat burned and my stomach lurched. I jumped out of bed and rushed to the toilet, barely making it before I threw up the contents of dinner last night. It hadn't tasted too good going down, but it was even worse coming back up.

I leaned my head against the cool steel of the toilet, hoping for that round to be over with. This had happened the night before, too, and Viktor had pulled my hair out of my face and begged me to get help. I insisted I was fine. I never got sick, and when I did, it wasn't for , a person _would_ go to the doctor, but I just felt that I was about to have a horrible period, so I kept away.

And then I realized something terrible.

I was now three weeks late on my period.

**2:58 a.m.  
****Army Barracks**

"A-Alex," I said softly, shaking her, trying to wake her from her sleep. I'd snuck out and gotten into the barracks, somehow, without the watch noticing me. I shook her silk nightgown-clad shoulder again and tried to keep quiet so I wouldn't wake anyone else up. "Alex, wake up, _please_."

My best friend stirred under her standard-issue wool blanket, turning over to look at me with her strange blue eyes. "_¿Dios, qué tiene que una muchacha hacer para conseguir algún sueño por aquí?_ I'm up, I'm up!" She looked as if she were about to cuss me out, but then she saw who I was, all decked-out in my ratty t-shirt and PJ pants and all. She then saw the look on my face and she was on instant alert. "Anna? What is wrong?"

I shushed her, so as not to wake the others in the bunk. "Come with me," I said softly, grasping her hand, trying to pull her away. She fumbled, still half-asleep, trying to get out of bed and stay straight up at the same time. I pulled her all the way back to my bunk in the crisp air of March, only in our pajamas, and I closed the door to my bunk.

"What's wrong, _mi amiga?_" she asked softly, probably noting my green color and the slight sheen of sweat on my face. She gently caressed the side of my face, looking at me with concerned eyes as I sat down on the bed. She knelt in front of me, taking my hand.

"I…" I couldn't talk, and I was shaking. I knew what my problem was, but I didn't think that I could voice it out loud. "Do you remember what I told you, what happened after Christmas break?"

She nodded, the same look on her face. "Yes, I do, but I don't see how that matters at the—" Suddenly she stopped, and recognition dawned on her face. She gently placed her hand on my starting-to-round stomach, looking at it questionably, then looking into my eyes. "_¿Usted está embarazado?_" she asked in her Spanish way, looking up at me through her thick black eyelashes. "You are pregnant?"

"I-I think s-so, b-but I don't know, a-and I'm sc-scared, Alex," I said softly, finally able to cry. She moved up and sat next to me on the bed, hugging me, gently rocking me back and forth. I knew that I'd always wanted children, but a child without Viktor? While still in school? I was so confused, I just didn't know... She whispered soothing things to me in Spanish, speaking so fast and soft that I couldn't understand it, but it made me feel better all the same.

"And you aren't married," she said, slowly pulling away, grasping my hand in hers. I shook my head, no, we weren't, but I'd made love to him (multiple times, as my mind wouldn't let me forget,) and now I'd have to live with the consequences. We'd talked about it, right? What had we decided? To wait? To..._what had we decided?_ "Where is he, _amour_?" she asked softly, gently smoothing down my hair with one hand, the other being crushed by one of mine.

"I-I don't know," I said, and I realized that I meant it. He hadn't been at school for ages, and I knew that I might never, ever see him again. Viktor was still gone, still fighting part-time in Bulgaria, trying to stamp down the raging battle going on up there. Every few weeks he would come back and teach for a week, and then disappear again. I would barely see him at all. He might sneak into my room and lie beside me, but he wouldn't touch me in another sexual way, not after the last time, after I'd seen into his mind and he'd seen into mine.

"And he is the only one, yes?" she asked softly, hugging me close once more. I nodded, and she sighed, gently placing a hand on my stomach. "What will you do?"

I was instantly appalled. "You think that I would get rid of him?" I asked, pulling away from her, grasping my slightly protruding stomach.

"_¡No!_" she exclaimed, just as appalled as I was about the subject. "No, _mi amiga, _I was just saying, how will you stay in the Academy? You cannot be pregnant and do PT!"

I took a deep breath, thinking about that. No, I couldn't. And it would only be a matter of time until I started showing. "I'll have to go to the nurse, get a pass."

"It would be very suspicious, if you suddenly stopped running," Alex pointed out, still stroking my hair and looking as if she were a mother with her own child. I paled at the thought, and at the thought of myself being with child. "Perhaps you should drop out, _amour_. It would be the only thing to do."

"No," I instantly said, shaking my head and standing up. I turned to look at my friend. She was beautiful, smart, and a good friend, but she didn't see the entire picture. "My dropping out would be the last thing he'd want." Why did it sound like we were talking about a dead man?

"You can't hide this forever, though," she insisted, reaching out to stop my pacing. But then she saw my determination, and she tried to find other things I could do. "You can go to the doctor and get excused, perhaps, or get a pass from the Headmaster. He will want to know who the baby's father is. You may get expelled, and Viktor will lose his job."

"Then I'll show them this," I said softly, moving over towards my small jewelry box, opening it, and sliding on my engagement ring. Her eyes widened at the diamond rock on my hand, surrounded by small amber stones.

She stared at it a moment, before looking up at me. "_Muchacha, _that is _still_ one big rock." For some reason, I knew that she would say that. She took my hand and offered to walk down to the Medical Bay with me, and I agreed that now would be the perfect time. We both got dressed in our casual Friday wear, I in a quite baggy shirt, her in her usual sexy clothes, and snuck down to see the Doctor.

Doctor McCall had always been a slightly strange woman, with far-off eyes and a look about her that made a kid not want to be treated by her, but she really, _really_ was a good doctor. Its just that when she adjusts her glasses and squints at reading things, you kind of don't want to have her operating on you. And her Brooklyn accent was slightly disconcerting.

"Doctor," I said softly, knocking on her door. I saw that she had left it open, and she had been working on paperwork. Being a civilian, she didn't have to wear our uniforms, but she _was _dressed as a doctor, at least. "Doctor McCall?"

She looked up, her blue eyes looking buggish behind her large, bottle cap glasses. "Oh, hello, dears. Is there something I can do for you, at…" She picked up an alarm clock next to her desk. "Three in the morning?"

"Its important, Doc," I said softly, playing with the engagement ring on my ring finger. "_Really _important."

She sat her pencil down, a note of seriousness in her eyes. "Do you know your symptoms? Muggle or wizard? How long have you experienced the symptoms?"

I felt a blush appear on my face as the doctor walked towards us, sitting me down on a table as soon as I said, "Both Muggle _and_ wizard, I'm afraid. Its been a little over a month, the symptoms, anyways."

Her steel-blue eyes met mine, and she looked me directly in the eyes as she took my blood pressure, tested for fever. "And you think you're that far along, then?"

The blood rushed from my face, and I looked fearfully to Alex. A hard determination was on her face. "H-how did you know?" I asked, feeling horribly scared and alone.

"Middle of the night, two girlfriends, sneaking about and worried. You said both, and that it's been a month. I'm dreamy, not stupid, sweetheart." She handed me a small bottle of pills and a simple blue piece of paper. "These are your prenatal vitamins, and this is a pass to all of your physical activities. Physical activities are actually alright for the baby, but walk, instead of run, and keep it easy. Until we know how your body will react to the pregnancy, I don't want you stressing yourself. For the next month, you'll be fine with your clothing, but after that you'll have to wear regular clothes I'm afraid. You may lose your Officer status. I'd take it up with the General." That was when she noticed my ring, and she exhaled a sigh of relief. "Thank God, you're married."

"About to be," I said softly, feeling even more of a blush come to my cheeks. She seemed much more comfortable about me being pregnant now. But I knew that I had to tell her something. "Doctor-patient confidentiality, right?"

"Right."

"Lets say that the father is someone he shouldn't be," I said slowly, watching her back stiffen. "He's my fiancé, so don't worry." I added this very quickly, and her shoulders relaxed again. She was mixing some kind of potion. "But lets say that I've known him for a long time, and he works for the school…"

"Who, Viktor?" she asked softly, turning to show a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. "The little devil."

"How—_what_? Ow!" The woman pulled a piece of my hair out and put it into the potion.

"Dear, we've all known, long before he was even hired. Don't you read a paper?"

"Of course I read the paper, I—" And that was when it hit me. I knew that Rita Skeeter hadn't posted anything, because of her and Hermione's deal. Then it could only be one person, and I'd been gone right after the Fourth… _"Aunt Taylor."_

"Yes, your aunt wrote an entire article on it. It was a large buzz, but then you were kidnapped, and that took over. Everyone kind of forgot, but then he applied here, and we all knew. As long as we didn't see you, you could do whatever you wanted with each other." She was saying this as if it were nothing. "Oh, poo. That means that I've lost the bet."

I was so confused, you have no idea. "_What_?"

"When Viktor joined the staff, we all made a bet to see how long it would be until you got engaged or showed yourself to the school, or slept with together, or all three! I thought that, you being a sensible Officer," she looked at me sternly over the top of her glasses, before turning back to her work, "that you would wait until the school year was out before you both chose to admit anything."

I turned to my best friend, hitting her in the arm. "You _knew_ about this?"

"Well, _yeah_, I saw the article, but then I did not stop looking for you! Like the Doc said, we all forgot about it as soon as you were kidnapped!" She looked affronted, so I sighed and put my hand on her arm. She jerked it away. "No, _muchacha,_ I'm upset."

"I know you looked for me the entire time, Alex, but I can't just believe that everyone knew that we were together this entire time..." I looked to the doctor, realized thing _all_ of the teachers had been in on the bet. "So who won the bet, then?"

"The General, actually, and McCoy might have gotten some kind of second place winnings." The potion in her hand, which had previously been clear, suddenly turned pink. "Ah. Pregnant. I thought so. Damn. I lost three galleons."

I didn't know if I should be upset about the bet, or if I should be worried about being pregnant. It wasn't that I wasn't...ready, I was. I'd always wanted kids. But I'd figured that it would be planned, and not a surprise.

"_We can not, and then see what happens."_

I groaned and leaned my head back against the wall. _How stupid am I? I practically begged to get pregnant!_ A lot from that night was a little hazy, mostly the conversation beforehand. So, technically, this _had_ been planned. And it should not have been a surprise.

I'd always thought I'd be older, with a job that paid well and not just an application to work for the government. I'd always thought that I'd have a little house in the country with a wrap around porch and a swing, all painted in white and light blue. It wasn't really funny how it all seemed to change in one moment—or one night.

_I'm...pregnant._

"_Chica?_" Alex asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Ju-u-ust peachy."

* * *

**Hmm. Who could have forseen this? Me! This all leads up to the very last chapter, which I already have written. I'm not sure how many chapters are left. I know that I have at least four written ahead of time, but there still needs to be a few more added in. Don't fret! There will be more Viktor goodness to go around!**


	47. Secrets

**I blame Skyrim for any and all procrastination errors on my part. **

**And research papers. **

**And life.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own a copy of Skyrim!**

* * *

**Secrets**

**Viktor Krum  
****April 1, 1996, 10:45 A.M.  
****DADA Classroom**

"All I need from you over the veekend is a tvelve inch report on Curses used in the Civil Var. You are dismissed. Mees Neelsoon, please stay after class." Viktor turned his back as the students scraped their chairs against the perfectly polished floors and shuffled out, talking softly and murmuring about the safety of their class. He used to laugh about their gay chatting, about how they would laugh and talk and be the way teenagers always would be—now, they were scared. He'd lost a fourth of all of his classes already. His Advanced Placement class was no different. He'd lost his one Air Force student after the fire attack.

"You needed to see me, Professor?" Leigh Ann asked, a smirk in her sparkling hazel eyes. She was finally filling out in her uniform once more. The smaller uniform she'd had to buy was now too small for her curving frame.

Viktor sent a spell at the door, closing it, and then grasped the clip in her hair to let her curling locks fall into his hand. "Breathe."

Leigh Ann closed her eyes and leaned her face into his hands, taking a deep breath. "Alright."

He leaned down and kissed her, waving his wand and thinking of her mind. He was instantly rewarded with feelings only—her lust for him, the sweet feeling of love. He couldn't get any further than that before a metal wall fell over her mind and he was completely blocked out.

She was blocking him from her mind. Somehow, she'd become adept in closing off her thoughts. If he hadn't known better, he'd think that she was hiding something from him. But this was his Leigh Ann—she was only preparing herself to keep away dark Wizards.

Right?

"Very good," Viktor said softly, smiling at her as she opened those beautiful hazel eyes. He was happy that she seemed better after her sickness a few days before. Her face didn't seem so thin or sickly. And now that she was gaining weight, her curves were just._.. __sŭvŭrshenstvo. _

"You're not too bad yourself," she said softly, smiling a smile that was meant only for him.

"I can no longer see into your mind. I imagine that in more stressful situations, you may hold up even stronger, my loff." He could understand how the KKK hadn't infiltrated her mind when she'd been captured. Her will was stronger than ever. "How are classes going, loff?"

She stepped away from him, sitting on his desk and looking delicious. "I'm havin' trouble with Calculus. I just can't get Magical Derivatives to make sense! Derivatives themselves are difficult, but addin' magic to them just hurts my brain." Tuesdays were her "Muggle Class" days. He couldn't help her with anything in her Muggle Classes, least of all something that involved Calculus. He felt awful because she looked positively confused as she leaned back and stared out the window behind his desk.

But something was wrong. She looked a little green. Was she still sick from weeks ago? "I cannot help you vith that or I vould. Maybe you should rest? You do not look healthy, little vun. Is something vong?"

"_Nothing_!" she said quickly, flying up to her feet. She said this _too_ quickly and started backing out of the room, her books held tightly to her chest. She started mumbling something about studying for her Magical Theory test before waving her wand to open the door and rushing out.

Obviously, something was wrong, and he was going to find out.

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****April 2, 10:34 PM  
****Officer's Bunk**

"I'm pregnant."

_No...no, not quite._

"Viktor...I'm havin' a baby."

_Hmm...I don't know about that, either._

"You're gonna be a dad!"

I stood in front of the mirror in my room, flicking my wand at it as the different "me's" told Viktor about our child. Each one made me look more ridiculous than the next, so I flicked my wand again and turned it off. All that was left was a view of me in one of Viktor's button-up shirts and some white socks, standing barefoot and looking like a moron talking to myself.

I turned to the side and held his shirt taught around my stomach, trying to see if my normal pooch was just showing or if my baby was growing. There was a definite bump where there had never been one, so I took a deep breath and stared myself down in the mirror, letting the flowing fabric drape itself, hiding my baby. I stared.

Hard.

"Viktor, the amazin' sex we had turned into a small fetus in my uterus." My face in the mirror scrunched up and I gave up, bitterly tearing the hair tie from my ponytail and letting it fall onto my shoulders. I felt that I should probably cut it again, but Viktor liked, it, so... "Gah! I'm such an idiot!"

"Vhy is my beautiful voman an idiot? I believe that she is very smart."

I jumped and turned around, surprised to see him there. My hands instantly flew to my stomach before they flew to my sides. He was standing in the floo door-way, leaning against the wall and looking me up and down. "Viktor!"

"You are vearing my shirt," he stated, a hunger in his eyes. He walked towards me slowly, already in his sleep pants and looking superbly wonderful. He reached me and slowly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close and resting his forehead on mine. "I loff it vhen you vear my clothes. Vhy are you an idiot, loff?"

Oh, Lord, he smelled so nice. He was warm and amazing and all I wanted to do was tell him. Unfortunately, it wasn't something you just "said." I wrapped my arms around his body and dug my face into his chest, just wanting to be near him. "I just am."

Viktor chuckled softly, his strong arms around me and keeping me feeling safe and warm and wanted. "Vhat is vong, dear heart? Are you stills seeck?"

I opened my mouth to tell him, but I just couldn't find the words to say it. I'd been practicing all morning and I couldn't figure out how to say three words. "Just...just hold me."

His lips were hot against my ear. "_Gladly._" Suddenly I was being picked up and carried bridal style to the bed. He gently sat me down and gave me a long, gentle kiss that left my insides all mushy and warm. "Vhy are you not alveady in bed? My class vill be early tomorrow morning."

I snuggled into the comforter, glad that he climbed into bed next to me. "I have a lot on my mind."

"Something important?" he asked, grasping my stomach and pulling me to spoon with him.

I gasped and hoped that he couldn't feel my baby bump. A hot blush filled my cheeks as my butt settled onto his member, hot and solid behind me. "You have no idea," I whispered, trying not to push back against him, trying not to feel that heat coil in my belly...

My wonderful Viktor Krum started kissing along my neck, his stubble gently brushing against my skin. "Do not let this var vorry you." He had it all wrong—that wasn't what I was thinking of, although it should have been. "It vill all blov over."

"_What_?" I rolled out of his grasp and on top of him, pinning him with my legs. His chocolate eyes were surprised as I put my hands on his chest and stared him down. _Now I'm thinking of it!_ "No, don't you take the side of that Special Agent pig!"

Viktor looked genuinely surprised. "Vhat? You mean Glorvia?"

"Yes! That demeanin', awful Government drone kicked me out of a meetin' about the Ku Klux Klan, and—"

Suddenly _I_ was the one being controlled, suddenly on the bottom of one very large Bulgarian Seeker. He kissed my nose and looked at me knowingly. "You vill get a, ah, a oolser? If you keep this up."

It was so hard to keep a straight face when he said it like that. I groaned and tried to get away from underneath his deliciously male frame, but I couldn't. "I can't not involve myself in this! Just like you have to do whatever you have to do in Bulgaria, I have to do this here." I leaned up and kissed his perfect, full lips. "They're hurtin' the people I care about."

Viktor rolled off of me, lying his head on my stomach. I blushed, hoping he wouldn't think of what might be in there, and ran my fingers through his curly hair. "You are the vun I care about. I do not vant them to hurt you. Stay avay from Glorvia. I do not troost him."

"This is no different than you goin' out and seein' those men whom _I _don't trust," I said softly. "I worry about you when you're gone, just as you worry about what is goin' to happen here. The only way to stop either of us is for these wars to end. I don't think that's happenin' any time soon."

Viktor put a hand on my hip, gently kissing my stomach through the fabric. "I vant to be vith you vhen I can." Slowly, that hand moved up my side and took the shirt along with it.

****************RATED M**************

**Viktor Krum  
****11:03 P.M.**

He looked up to the woman he loved and watched for her reaction. He'd wanted to make love to her again for so long...he knew it was wrong, but she was his, and she wasn't rejecting his love, and she had told him that she wanted to be with him! She'd wanted him that day after the fire. She'd wanted him to make love to her. She was sexually frustrated, like him, and he couldn't let his one mistake keep them from release.

He wasn't prepared when she leaned up from her position to kiss him gently on the lips. Fire instantly sparked inside of him. He gently parted her lips with his, letting his hand caress her smooth cheek. Her hand was now blazing hot against his chest, and he wondered how he felt to her.

Their lips brushed slowly back and forth, the stubble of his chin and lip gently scratching against her skin. This kiss was nothing more than a simple caress, but it was enough to drive him wild. He had to control himself not to touch his tongue to the seam of her lips. Had to control himself not to throw her on her back and take her hips in his hands and pull her up to him with all of his might. He wanted his seed deep inside her womb, to make her scream and call his name and wrap those long, dark legs around his waist and let him thrust into her like a stallion to a mare.

She slowly pulled away, her eyes closed as he fought to control himself, and her lips were still slightly parted. She opened her eyes, which were shimmering, and looked at him questioningly. "I… I'm…"

He didn't allow her to finish. He just wanted…_ her. _Leaning up off the bed to where he was sitting up, he kissed her back.

Leigh Ann wrapped her arms around his neck, welding their bodies together. When his tongue slid past her lips and into her mouth to flicker against her meek one, she whimpered slightly. He knew what he wanted, and hoped it was the same as what she wanted. He wanted this—he wanted her, forever.

Viktor pulled away and straddled her rapidly, kissing down her neck. His tongue followed after each kiss.

She squirmed from under him, complete want in her whimpers. "V-Viktor_…_"

"_Shh_…" he assured her softly against the blistering skin of her throat. "_I von't hurt you…_" He let his lips nibble her neck gently, his tongue leading a trail across her collarbone. He nibbled on that skin, tasting his woman.

"V-Viktor," she breathed roughly, making him tighten his thighs around hers to prevent himself from taking her before she could handle his length.

"_Leahn..._" He didn't know what he would do if she made him stop. He didn't have to worry, though.

She grabbed his face roughly in her hands and pulled his lips back up to hers. She took control, her tongue brave and exploring, her lips hot and plump against his. Then she let her hands run down his chest. Her whole body was blazing hot now, his lips sweltering against hers.

Leigh Ann pulled his shirt over his head in a manner that was almost savage. She traced around his nipples, dragging down and tracing between and around each and every muscle on his hard stomach.

Suddenly her hand found the scar he'd gotten in a battle, the one right before he'd first made love to her. She gasped and traced it gently, pulling away from him slowly. He felt his groin ache more at the disappointment of their separation.

Then she touched the scar gently, following its trajectory down his stomach and behind his back, where she put her full palm on place where he had taken the curse. Her pain-filled eyes looked up to him, and he just touched the slight dimple on her cheek with his lisp, slowly dragging his lips down.

Leigh Ann took his face in her hands and pulled his lips up to hers once more, slowly parting his lips and showing him that she had power, her tongue meekly flickering against his lips. A low moan escaped his throat, but he wasn't going to allow her to be the one with the power held over him. He was going to show her that he knew how to drive her crazy.

He quickly dove into the kiss and took control, his tongue sliding into her mouth and overpowering hers, pulling and sucking on her lips, growling protection in a way that made her squirm uncertainly underneath him. She didn't pull away though. She only pulled him closer, down on top of her. She was panting now, moaning into his lips as she clung tighter to him.

He then used one hand to slide its way up her leg and under the shirt she was wearing. She didn't notice, and he barely saw it himself. He was too interested in taking her all the way in. His other hand gently ran over one of her beautiful breasts, making her take a deep breath as she moved beneath him. He gently molded her beneath his hand, taking her moans into his mouth.

He knew he had to stop, though. They couldn't go any further, no matter how much he wanted to, no matter how much it hurt _not _to. He had hurt her, he couldn't hurt her again!

Viktor urged her kisses to slow, but he didn't stop how much passion he put into their embrace. His groin wanted so much more, but his brain knew better. And he…he _wanted_ to kiss her.

He wanted to kiss his _fiance._

She whined at the loss of his lips, wrapping one leg up and around his waist. He groaned. "Leahn, are you sure?"

Her feet hooked into the waistband of his sleeping pants, pushing them down his legs. "Shut up and kiss me," she breathed sexily.

The hand that was under her shirt quickly ripped off her underwear. She looked and smelled exactly like he remembered, possibly even better. She had started filling out once more in her waist and stomach, which pleased him. Everything about her excited him.

Viktor obliged his woman and kissed her full on the mouth, unbuttoning the top of her shirt so that he could taste her breasts. All the little gasps and sighs that she made made this worth it for him. If all he could do in life was please her, his life would be complete.

He grasped her waist and started kissing down the opening he'd created in the shirt she was wearing. He spent extra time between her breasts and at the dip of her belly button. She wasn't a giggling kind of woman—she laughed loudly as he tickled her. It was a laugh that was open and completely his woman and made him more ready to please her. Her laughing slowed, though, as soon as his trail continued even lower.

"Viktor, what are you—?"

Looking up, his eyes told her to be quiet. He wanted to please her so that they never had to be parted again. He kissed down her thigh, throwing her legs over his shoulders and pulling them apart. Her smell itself almost drove him over the edge.

Very slowly he kissed the little ball of nerves, pulling it between his lips and sucking. Her hands flew to his scalp, her nails digging in as her heels dug into his back. He let his teeth pluck at her while his thumb delved inside of her. She gasped his name as he sucked, nibbled, and teased her to the brink of pleasure.

"N-no..." she gasped, her breathing erratic as she groaned and leaned her head back on the head board. He wasn't trying to make her uncomfortable. All he wanted to do was show her the multiple ways that he could love her.

He made her come softly, using loving words and soft nibbles. Her moans stirred him as his tongue delved inside of her, tasting the sweet taste he'd only had once before. If he had his way, he would have it many, many times and many, many nights.

She started breathing normally as he kissed up her body once more. Her face was flushed and her eyes were lidded as she looked up at him. Her lips, swollen and parted, whispered his name as she reached for him. Her hair was wild and begged to be grasped, so he did.

Slowly, finally ready, he eased into her. _Ah! Still so tight..._ She didn't gasp in pain like she had the time before. This time she moaned and reached for him, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him close to her. She looked nothing but beautiful in his shirt, thoroughly romanced and nothing but his.

This time their love was slow and wonderful. He didn't want to hurt her again. Seeing the bruises he had left on her body, seeing the bites and scratches...

They were close, shadows moving in the night. He wanted to show her how much he loved her. He wanted to show her that she had his body, his soul, and his heart with every thrust, with every sigh. Her heart was right where it should have been—next to his, beating erratically as her walls started to contract around him.

Viktor groaned as Leigh Ann whimpered, asking for him to please, please help her go over the edge, to love her forever and never let her go. He would never, as long as he willed it, let her go.

Her tight walls felt so wonderful around him. How had he found this woman? How could he not caress her curves and kiss her softly as she hit her peak? He held her legs apart as he finished for himself, hoping to prolong her orgasm and see more of this uncontrolled beauty.

His seed spewed into her, and for a moment, all he could hope for was a child. A beautiful child with her eyes, her smile, and he hoped that it would be as beautiful as she was at the moment.

***********END**********

He fell next to her, breathing hard, and grasped her stomach. He chanted a few words that he had looked up on his own time, words that increased fertility for the next few days. Her stomach, already beautifully taught and round, was in a position that made him imagine that it was already true.

If she was pregnant, however, he would already know. She would have told him and it would have been obvious, at least to him, after almost four months. He would just have to wait and hope. _And give her a small magical boost._

She breathed deeply a few more times and turned to him, a radiant, if not sleepy, smile plastered on her face. "Now, was that so hard?"

"I vas _very_ hard, loff," he purred in her ear, making her gasp and hit him. He laughed with her and wrestled with her to give her a sloppy kiss, which only made her laugh more. Viktor wanted times like this to last forever. He couldn't wait to be her husband and have her like this every night, just for him. Unfortunately, he knew that this moment couldn't last forever.

He knew it as soon as the mark on the back of his neck burned, along with the scar on his back. He cringed and she noticed immediately. "Viktor, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting up with him and putting her hands on his face. "Is it—?"

Viktor clenched his jaw and got out of the bed, pulling on his pants. He'd purposely left a set of robes in her dresser drawers for something like this. "I do not know vhen I vill be back."

"Viktor, don't leave again, there's something I need to tell you," she said quickly, standing up in her womanly glory. "I'm—you're—"

He swooped down and kissed her quickly, too angry with himself and Grindelwald to let her continue. "Tell me vhen I am back."

"You don't _know _when you'll get back. This is important, Viktor." Her big hazel eyes were on the brink of tears—he tried not to acknowledge it, he was already clearing his mind of all emotion. "Don't leave yet—"

"Tell the Headmaster that I vill be back to help vhen I can. He understands."

Her face, scrunched in anger after the passion they'd shared, was like a shard of ice to his heart. "Well I don't! This is important!"

The burning intensified, staggering him. He placed a hand on the back of his neck and cursed in his language. _It must be important._ "I vill be back soon, Leahn. Do not vait up for me."

With that, Viktor was gone once again. His scar was burning, his neck hurt, but nothing was worse than the image plastered in the back of his mind of the angry face of his love.

_Do not worry, Leigh Ann. I will be back. I will listen when our lives are not in danger._

* * *

**I really need some inspiration, AKA reviews! I want to especially thank UntilNeverDawns for the support, and of course everyone out there who reads this. Remember, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon!"**


	48. Busted, with Love

**These last few have been really short, and for that I am sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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**Busted, with Love**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****April 7, 1996, 1:08 PM  
****Transfiguration**

"So, did you tell him, _muchacha_?" Alex asked conspiritually, holding a folder in front of her to keep the teacher from seeing her talk. Like she needed to make herself more obvious.

I ignored her for the moment, waving my wand and focusing on Transfiguring my eagle into a writing desk. Her constant Spanglish was really making me lose my focus, and my desk turned out yellow with feathers floating from the shelves and drawers.

LGLO Charles McCoy gave me a disappointed look, shaking his head and writing something down on his clipboard. I felt irritated and upset with myself, quickly changing Gerald back to his bird form and sending him off.

"Well, did you?" she asked again, swatting me with the same folder she'd been hiding behind.

I shot her a dirty look, pursing my lips to keep from yelling. "No, Alex, I didn't get the chance to say anything before he ran off to play 'hero.'"

"He left _again_?" she asked incredulously. "That _culo_ always leaves at the worst times!"

"Maybe you should concentrate on your desk instead of my failin' love life," I snapped, feeling slightly queasy. I'd been having morning sickness, although I wasn't sure why it was called that when it happened all during the damn day!

"Well, when will you get the chance to tell him that you are _preñada_?" She said it loud enough that I smacked her with the folder she was holding.

"Do you want the whole school to know?" I hissed, sitting lower in my seat.

Suddenly the room went quiet, and it wasn't because of what Alex had said. I turned to look where all the eyes had gone when I saw a woman standing behind me, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. "You...I didn't know..." She took a deep breath and swallowed. Hard. "_What did Alex just say?_"

"Mom!"

**2:02 PM  
****The General's Office**

Tears formed in my eyes as I stood at attention, being ignored by my mother. She had her jaw set and a furious glint in her green eyes. I had never seen her so angry in my life.

My rank fell to the ground, torn from my uniform. The sound of velcro filled the General's office, the three of us staying silent. My Officer's buttons fell from my jacket as she cut them off. I didn't realize it, but she'd started to cry as she then unpinned my name tag and dropped it into my pocket. Then, the jacket came off. I was standing there, in front of the General, in stockings and a white dress shirt and pants. I'd never felt so naked.

He sighed and motioned for me to sit, but I was still paralyzed on the spot. My mother fell into one of the plush chairs, still not saying another word to me. "Leigh Ann...sit, please."

His words made me fall into the chair. I tried looking at my mom, but she refused to turn her eyes to me. It hurt worse than any physical wound. "M-mom, I—"

"Don't."

I bit my lip and turned my face down so that the General couldn't see my tears. It had been enough to have my unhonorable discharge happen from my mother—it was quite another to let my Commanding Officer see me cry.

The General sighed again, his ice blue eyes saddened as he looked at me. "Leigh Ann, this is very troubling indeed... You, my best Officer. In this condition."

"I'm not sorry," I said quickly, drying my eyes so that I could look him directly in the eye. "I love the father and I love this child."

"It is hard to believe," he said, his eyes narrowing. "You people are quick to throw out the words 'love' and 'forever,' when in fact they have only 'loved' their other for days. I want to believe that I know you better, Leigh Ann. Is the father Professor Krum?"

My mother's eyes burned into me, but I didn't turn to meet her gaze. "Yes. The baby was conceived in January. Doc can tell you the details. I just take the medicine she gives me and hope that I don't throw up every second of the day."

Mom suddenly stood up and stood in front of me, her gaze burning into mine. Tears fell down her face as she asked, "Why couldn't you trust me with this?"

"Momma—"

"I was just comin' down to talk to Gloria and check on his progress."

"Mom, I'm _eighteen—_"

"I thought that I'd stop by to see how my lovin' daughter was doin' in her favorite class."

"I am a grown woman, capable—"

"Then I hear it—not from my daughter, but from my daughter's best _friend_! I didn't even hear it from _you_, Leigh Anna Marie, not from _you_!"

It cut deep to see that pain on her face. "I'm sorry, Momma, I'm so sorry..." The tears started coming now as I held my head. All I wanted was that my mother would take me in her arms and hold me like she would have when I was younger. I wanted to cry on her shoulder and be told that everything would be alright, but I knew that it wasn't going to be alright. My baby was going to be born during a war, in a time when any wizard with impure blood was to be hunted.

And, not only was I not married to the father, but the father was also no where to be seen.

My mother noticed this as well. "Where the hell is that boy, John? You get him up here _now_ so that I can tear him a new one!"

I paled at my mother's language, thanking God that Viktor was out fighting Dark Wizards rather than face my mother. That thought made me laugh, but then I knew that it was true—that's where Viktor _was_. The General confirmed it, saying, "Professor Krum is on an important mission for Bulgaria."

My mother's green eyes bore into mine. "Leigh Ann?"

I shook my head and turned from her stare. "I don't know, Momma. I'm not allowed to know. If I know, then they'll know, and then they'll hurt me." _They'll hurt the baby._

"Does he at least _know_?" she begged, her voice finally cracking under the pressure. When I replied negatively, she sunk back down into the chair. "So, he gets my daughter in bed, runs off to war, and doesn't have the decency to use a rain coat?"

"Mom!" I blushed at her tone, especially since the General was _right there._

"What, it's true!"

**Rene Nelson  
****10:59 PM  
****Officer's Quarters**

She hurt so badly on the inside. Watching her daughter sleep, brushing back her bangs and pulling up the blankets under her arm made her ache for the little girl she used to have. Rene wanted to hold Leigh Ann, waned to kiss her forehead and tell her that everything would be alright.

But it wouldn't be.

Unless Rene and the rest of the government could hold down the panic rising in the Wizarding States, there would be another Civil War on their hands. The last thing the world needed was an innocent child born into chaos.

Leigh Ann whispered something in her sleep, moving her hand to rest on the baby bump that was obviously appearing. The second her hand rested there, her face calmed and she smiled, saying Viktor's name aloud before falling back asleep.

Rene had never seen anything so beautiful. She put her hand on her daughter's stomach as well, feeling what would be her second grandchild, both so close together. "I'm too young for this," she whispered, smiling as tears fell down her cheeks.

Leigh Ann stirred, so Rene pulled back, getting up off the bed. "Mommy?" she asked blearily, her face resembling that of a lost child. "Mommy, what are you doing here?"

"I just came to tuck you in," she said, trying to stifle her tears. "Lay back down."

She smiled and did as she was told, holding her pillow to her face. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Leigh Ann."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love my baby?"

What an odd question. She could have answered with a million things—_It's not a baby yet, _or, _How can I love it like I love you?_ But Leigh Ann was only looking for comfort. And inside, Rene knew it to be true that she _did_ love that baby. "Of course I do."

She nodded, a serious look on her face. "I do, too." Before she fell asleep again, she held her stomach and smiled, giving out a sigh.

Maybe this baby would be alright after all.

* * *

**Maybe its time to unveil little Krum, eh?**


	49. L is for the Way You Look at Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**

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"**L" is for the Way You Look at Me**

**Viktor Krum  
****April 25, 1996, 3:12 A.M.  
****Officer's Quarters**

_It is over._

He came out of the floo, feeling quite dizzy, and steadied himself on the steel grate next to him. The floo room was small, with only a steel fireplace and a trashcan to hold the ashes. Viktor held his head and took a few deep breaths as he thought of what he would tell his fiance.

_It is all over!_

_**April 20, 1996, 11:36 P.M.  
**__**Outside of Sofia**_

_One on the left, two on the right. They just keep coming at me. Maybe if I...no! Too dangerous. Must think of her—no, must not think of her! Will use illusions...they will use her against me somehow... _

_Sweating profusely, Viktor crouched behind the bricks of a destroyed building, taking a deep breath of smoke and blood as he wiped at the gash on his face with his arm. The final battle for Grindelwald was taking its toll on those loyal and those fighting against the grasp of Dark Magic. Together with most of the students from Durmstrang, he was fighting the other quarter of the students, almost all of the teachers, and the many dark wizards bent on keeping the world in total chaos._

_Viktor leaped when a sudden green streak of light came near him, quickly throwing up a dispelling clock of darkness to ward of the attacker. Two shots of an attacking spell knocked the man out, possibly killing him, but Viktor didn't care at that moment._

_If they won this battle, they won the war!_

_He kept his sights on the fort a few dozen yards ahead of him. That was all he had to do, get there, kill the leader, get out. Get out, get out and end everything._

_He didn't know how many people he'd killed before that point, or how many people after. He just kept running and shouting and hiding in the darkest corners for the best possible moment to attack. He knew who was on his side from the protection charms that glowed on his allies's cloaks. He hoped to Merlin that none of the enemy had gotten the charms._

_Finally inside the fort, the smoke was gone. All he could smell was blood—all he could hear were the cries of the fallen, of the tortured. He made his way along the deserted hallway, wondering vaguely where the protection charms were. Perhaps they didn't think that anyone would get this far?_

_He climbed the stairs to the top of the only tower, disabling a few very well placed traps and magical notifiers, making sure that no one knew he was there. He would get in, get out, and everything would be over with._

_He was finally at the final door. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, before kicking open the door. The room was small and circular, with one bed, a desk, a large rug, and a large lamp hanging from the ceiling. There was one, dark, hunched figure at the desk, suddenly chuckling._

"So you finally made it, eh, Viktor?"

_Viktor's heart froze in his chest. I...I know this voice._ "Ivann?"

Father?

**Officer's Quarters**

Viktor shook his head and ignored the heaviness that set in his heart as he watched his fiance from the shadows. _It is three in the morning, why is she still awake?_ She hadn't noticed his intrusion, but she'd given him the password. According to her, only four people had it: Jason, her mother, the General, and him.

In the end, he'd had to kill his own father. His heart ached at the betrayal. He knew, though, that it had been for the best. His mother knew nothing, only that his father had died honorably defending Bulgaria from Grindelwald.

Sighing, Viktor looked up. She was a sight for sore eyes, sitting there in the brightly-lit room. He was in the floo room, still, and watched as she ran a shaking hand through her hair. "What am I going to do?" she asked softly, running her other hand over the papers on her desk. "First Caitlin Smith and poor Kylee, now Jeremy Ross. Three Muggle-borns, dead. Killed right under my nose."

He knew from regular reports from the General how things were going in America. It was only a matter of time. Britain, Bulgaria, and then America. Soon it would be another World War, only with Wizards. He sighed and wondered how things had gotten to this. He should have known after the Fiendfyre incident. He should have realized that it wouldn't just "blow over," especially after Marie had died, and after the First Year had been hung. Special Agent Gloria probably hadn't been helping anything.

But it was all _over _in Bulgaria, and surely things in America _would_ blow over! He could stay there and protect her, now. He could marry her and they would live happily. Viktor wanted to show her his life in Quidditch, he wanted to take her all over the world, love her, and _make_ love to her in each place.

Now that Bulgaria's war was over, they were free.

Viktor was pulled from his thoughts when Leigh Ann stood up suddenly, her wand out and pointed. "Whoever the hell is there, you'd better show yourself before I hex you into next Tuesday." He didn't bother saying that it _was_ Tuesday, but instead held up his hands and stepped out of the shadows. He hadn't seen her in about four weeks, and her shoulders visibly slumped when she saw him. She must have aged at least ten years in those four weeks. "Where the hell have _you_ been?"

He knew that all of this had been hard on her. This school was hers, it was her life. And now Muggle-borns were getting killed. "You know vhere I half been."

Leigh Ann sighed and sat back down, holding her head in her hands. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to make love to her again and tell her that nothing bad would happen, and he could do that now, now that he was free and she was _safe_. She looked so broken, so..._hurt_. She looked up at him slowly. "Viktor, I don't have time for this." Her eyes were frightened, full of fear and such a tiredness that he wondered when the last time she slept was.

"I vanted to see you," he said softly, smiling a smile that was only meant for her. He hadn't even been back to his room. He was still in his Grindelwald robes and quite weary, needing a shower and a hot meal. Too much was running through his mind, about the last meeting he'd been privy to, about the Legimens that had seen into his mind. That man...he was gone. All of them were.

And she was safe.

She suddenly spoke, but it was the exact opposite of what he thought she would say. "Did you know that the entire school knew about us? Or that your co-workers had a bet about when we'd come out?"

No, actually, he hadn't known. He stared at her a moment, trying to process the English that he hadn't heard in weeks. "_Vhat?_"

"Yeah, that's what I said." She sighed and ran her hand through her hair one more time. "It isn't the right time in America _or _Bulgaria to get married, anyways." Viktor watched in confusion as she turned away from him, picking up what he knew to be a phone, and punching in numbers irately. "Voldemort is in Britain, and God knows how Harry's fairin'. You're dealin' with Grendelwald's army, and I'm stuck here with the damned Wizard KKK!"

"_Vhat_?" he asked again, not understanding her frantic motions at all. Voldemort was at full power, and he was after Harry again? How long had she kept in contact with Britain? "No, loff, it is all over!"

She ignored him and started talking into the phone. "Jacobs, I need to know where the Circle is _right now_." She was silent for a moment as she listened in to the man on the other line. "Grand Dragon? Who the hell is that? I want to destroy the circle first! The more Members I can squash, the better I can let the rest of my school sleep at night. Oh. Grand Dragon, leader. Got it."

Viktor didn't like the way she was talking. She looked pale and thin, and the yelling only made her look sicklier. He gently sidled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and she stiffened. He leaned down to nip at her ear. "Hang oop the phone_._" He shouldn't have given in to the temptation to touch her, and she was never the kind for physical comfort, but she obviously needed it.

He heard a, "_Who the hell is that?_" from the other side of the line.

She stiffened against him, until he gently pulled her hips back onto his and he noticed that she bit her lip, gently grinding them together. Heat instantly flared in his stomach, even after no rest for weeks and the need for a long rest. Nothing could beat her. He nipped at her ear and she relaxed against his chest. "I-I'm speaking with a man from Bulgaria about the trouble with Grindelwald. It's for more research into the whole Grand Dragon/Voldemort scheme." She was blushing from head to toe. "A-anyways, it doesn't matter. Give me the information and I'll be out of your hair."

He could hear the man, "Jacobs," through the corded phone. "_Not in your condition. I know that they kidnapped you, but I'm not letting you risk _two_ lives by going after these psychopaths. We've got this, Nelson. Your mother and I are on the case._" Viktor felt strangely confused by this conversation. '_Two_ lives'? 'Your condition'? He thought on these as he gave in to temptation again, leaning down to brush her hair off of one shoulder, leading kisses along her neck and jaw. "_She wants you to rest. No sense in upsetting the tyke."_

_God, I missed you,_ he thought as he squeezed her a little tighter, not understanding or really caring about what the man over the Muggle device was saying.

Leigh Ann elbowed Viktor, trying to make him let go, but he wouldn't budge. "Like hell y-you are! There have been three direct attacks on Muggle-borns and half-bloods in and out of this school. I've lost two Muggle-borns _under my watch._ This isn't going to go down like it did in the fifties, alright? Give. Me. The coordinates."

"_We've got it under control! Do you really think that the Aurors in Washington would let this get out of control again?_"

"Yes, I do!"

"_You've got Gloria, that's enough. He's there for a reason."_

"I don't trust that slimy bastard!"

"_Calm down, don't get your panties in a bunch. We've got a team of Aurors already heading out there._"

"Jacobs, you tell me where the hell that meeting is or I swear I'll—"

"_You'll what, call your mother on me? Please, Nelson, I work with her everyday!_"

Leigh Ann bit her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. She made a frustrated sound and said, "Jacobs, if anyone gets hurt because I can't get in there..."

"_They won't, sweet cheeks. Just let the grown ups do their job, alright?_ _Now hang up the __phone and let me get some sleep. Don't you know its three in the morning?_"

Leigh Ann slammed the phone down onto the desk with a cry of frustration, her uniform bunching up around her shoulders. She irately tugged it down, suddenly hitting Viktor away with fists. "Get away from me!" She threw his arms away from her.

He couldn't bare to see her this way, and he grasped her wrists in his hands. Now he got a good look at her. Her face was smudged with ink, and the darkest bags he'd ever seen were under her eyes. Creases were starting to form around her eyes. She really did look ten years older. "Leahn..."

"You've caused enough trouble," she growled, breaking the hold on her wrists. "Get out of here and leave me alone!"

Viktor felt as if she'd just slapped him. He looked down on her, noticing that she was on the verge of tears. He reached out and used his thumb to wipe a tear off her cheek, and she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. "God, Viktor, where have you _been_?"

He held her to him, loving her curves, petting her hair, wondering how much a man could miss what he'd only had for a short while. He missed it quite a bit. He gently nudged up her face and kissed her so softly that he barely felt it. She sobbed again and backed away, holding her hands out, trying to keep him away. "Loff, it does not matter vhere I half been, it is over! All over! I vill be here for you from now on, this I svear!"

"I d-don't know whether to hug you or p-punch you, you damn bastard," she sobbed, leaning back against the wall, putting her hands over her face. He was devastated that she didn't take any of his excitement. "I haven't s-seen you in _weeks_. There's so much you need to know, and I just d-don't think that I can tell you!"

He reached forwards to hold her, and she ended up in his arms again. "Teel me, sveet vun." He kissed her forehead, ignoring the dirt that he got on her forehead. "I vill be here...alvays."

For a moment, Leigh Ann was still. She just held him and breathed, calming herself down. And then she grasped his hands, her own shaking, and she gently put them on her waist. Then she started unbuttoning her jacket, showing a simple white blouse. She unbuttoned that as well, until all she was left in was a simple white tank. She slowly pulled that up as well, and his hands were graced with the swell of a perfectly round baby belly.

The pride that filled him was almost diminished by the complete and utter fear. He couldn't help himself as he knelt down, his face in line with the bump, and dug his face into her stomach. It was surreal. This was his Leigh Ann—she was his, and now he had a child with her. They had created something beautiful...and he was petrified.

Her hands gripped his hair as she cooed soft and loving things to him, as he wrapped his arms around her to hold her and his child closer. _I...have made a child. I have just killed my father, am I fit to be one? How could I have left her? How long has this been? My want to protect her, my want to have a child...I ignored the thought of actually having one. How long has she been suffering alone? How long has she needed me to be here? Her sickness, it was morning sickness. Before I left, she wanted to tell me. I was so blind!_ That and so much more ran through his mind.

"Leahn..."

"Yes, Viktor?"

"I am sorry."

* * *

**Good lord, it's about freaking time, Viktor. Stay with your damn woman! And Leigh Ann, you should have gotten over yourself and told him sooner. Don't know if it would have changed the reaction. To bad the kid's being born in a war zone. My plotline, perhaps? Maybe.**

**What, a plot? You all wanted a plot? Sheesh, how much do you want from me!**


	50. They Will Be Next

**HOLY POO. 50 Chapters? Whoah! :D**

**200,000 words? WHOAH!**

**A faithful reader kicked me in the butt, so now I have an update! I honestly have no clue as to when the next will be out. The good news? I may have a Mass Effect romance coming out. The bad news? I have GOT to write HP and my ATLA stories first and I don't have any motivation! So, motivate me?**

**Disclaimer: I no own!**

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**They Will Be Next**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****30 May 1996, 1400 hours  
****Medical Ward**

"Bull shit."

Viktor's face flamed bright red as he rubbed the back of his adorable head. "Leahn..."

"Don't 'Leahn' me. You're tellin' me that the General gave you this order _specifically _to give to me?" I sat on Doc's desk, her bug eyes through her bottle-cap glasses looking at the ultrasound screen next to me. She was still trying to find the baby and all I wanted for her to do was finish—the gel was _damn _cold. "And Doc, you couldn't have warmed up the gel first?"

The doctor gave me a smack on the hand. "Language, Nelson. And no." To rub it in, she put a little more of the cold gel under my belly button, making me gasp.

"Jesus!"

"Figuratively speaking, there is a Jesus. Anymore outbursts?"

"This is preposterous!" I growled throwing my head back down onto the pillow of the bed. "Are you sure that we're safe in here?" _Not that everyone isn't going to know soon..._ We were in a locked room in the hospital ward, with silencing spells and everything, but I still didn't want anyone seeing this...yet. Not that me being a giant, lumbering whale on land wouldn't hint at the fact that I was pregnant, but whatever.

I didn't understand why anyone hadn't noticed. From the side, anyways. No one had asked questions about my loss of rank, no one had left me to fend for myself in class. I was guessing that the whole, 'wearing a uniform,' thing kind of blocked it out. Now I wouldn't be able to.

Viktor, still entranced with the technology in front of him, ignored my outburst. "So this vill show my baby—err, _our_ baby?" As Viktor always said, I couldn't call myself a whale—I was _pregnant_, after all, and there was another person inside of me. He didn't see himself bloating up in all the wrong places, though.

"Yes," Doc said simply, blowing a strand of curly red hair out of her eyes. "And Leigh Ann will show the baby to the school tomorrow..._after_ she shops for maternity clothes, per the General's orders."

I instantly paled and glared at the lady next to me. "There is no way in _hell_ I am shoppin' for frilly maternity clothes in the middle of a war!" This shouldn't have been happening, anyways!

I never knew how much of an evil glare that the doctor could have as she found the heartbeat of my baby, finally. "We'll just see about that, won't we, Momma?"

The heartbeat that came out of the speakers stopped my own heart for a moment. Viktor's hand found mine as tears came to my eyes. The room was filled with a fourth heartbeat...and it was from what Viktor and I had created. I looked into his eyes to see his face full of confusion and wonder. When he saw me looking, he gave me the widest smile that I had ever seen on his face.

He leaned down and kissed me, gently, laughing lightly and leaving his forehead on mine. "Listen to vhat ve half created, little vun."

"And...there! I would know the placement if you'd ever come to your other screenings, but no, you had to wait for the bozo to show up to the meetings, too," Doc growled, slapping both of us up the heads. I was flustered and Viktor, he just had a sheepish look on his face. "You are finally to the midpoint of you pregnancy. It's safe to say that you are on your way, Miss Nelson."

I looked over to the screen, smiling at the four-inch fetus on screen. It was strange to see the banana-shaped...thing on screen. It didn't look anything like a baby at all. But it would be. And, whether it be boy or girl, it would be beautiful because it was mine and Viktor's. Doc said that its back was to the screen, but I could see little feet and toes and everything.

Voktor was holding the edge of my stomach, looking completely at awe. "My child...vhen vill I know boy or girl?" That was just like him, wanting to know everything right then. Then again, I had to give the guy some slack. My mom hadn't known what an ultrasound was, either. _That _had been a shock!

Doc shook her head and froze the image on the screen, shutting everything else off and handing me a rag to wipe at my stomach. "Not until next month. Viktor, I already told Leigh Ann, but the baby should be due around October first."

Viktor's head looked like it was about to explode. He started saying things in a mixture of English and Bulgarian, kissing my head, kissing an uncovered part of my stomach and laughing. I was in awe as well, but I wasn't so sure that I could be so carefree about it. Viktor had finally stopped his war in Bulgaria...I had just started mine.

I didn't know how to tell him that I didn't want us to be connected. I didn't want anyone to know that the baby was here because then they could use it to get to me. And they could get to Viktor that way.

My hand gripped his protectively as the Doc cleaned up my stomach and gave me a few more directions. It would be harder to sleep, so I should hug a pillow. I would get hot flashes and my skin, which had already been doing crazy things, would either get better or worse.

I wasn't sure how anyone hadn't noticed yet. I hated to think that it was because I was overweight, but there was _definitely _a bump there, especially when I wasn't wearing my uniform. That must have been it. The uniform hid pretty much anything, it even made _me_ look like I had a flat stomach!

Suddenly one thought entered my mind, making my mood darken—_it used to. Goodbye uniforms, hello frilly baby dolls._ I shivered at the thought. But, the General had been very specific with my form of "punishment." Clothes, baby-name-picking time, and shopping for baby things.

Viktor must have noticed my mood because he pulled me to the side and gave me a kiss. I instantly relaxed, wrapping my arms around his neck and pushing myself into it. It felt wonderful to have him here full time. I could kiss him whenever I wanted. I could push my body into his and feel the difference of strength versus soft. I forgot about the doctor as my hands grasped at the stubble on his head, pulling his delectable lips open and letting his tongue start to dance around with mine.

My baby's father groaned, tipping my head back and moving his lips to my throat. "Leahn... I do not know if this is good for the baby, for me to be...thinking this vay."

I knew exactly how he was thinking when his hips gently pushed against mine. I groaned, my head thrown back, and realized what he meant when my stomach firmly pushed against his. That was when the doctor came up beside us and cleared her throat. We flew apart, flustered, but she wasn't even looking at us. She was adjusting her glasses and looking down at a clipboard. "Sexual intercourse is common in many pregnancies. In fact, many women think that it helps relieve stress and pressure on the uterus."

I blushed down to my toes and grabbed Viktor's hand in mine, pulling him towards the door. "And that, Viktor," I said as I undid the magical locks, "is our cue to leave."

**1 June 1996, 1000 hours  
New York State Park **

It was a bright, sunny first day in June. School was a week from getting out, (not that many would be leaving the supposed 'sanctuary' of the war effort,) and I was sitting at a picnic table eating ice cream with the best fiance in the world. I looked around, the wind blowing the warm summer breeze in my face, at the tall skyscrapers, the strangely green area we were in, and the bustling streets of New York City.

Viktor, so surprised with this Muggle world, couldn't believe his eyes. It was difficult to pick out the wizards around us because most wizards dressed in suits and dresses that were popular. Then you saw the wizards who thought that the crazy things worn in fashion shows were actually to be worn in public. Those wizards weren't hard to find.

I must have been looking off into the streets smiling because I then felt Viktor's hand on mine, the one that _wasn't _holding the ice cream cone. "This is how...I always pictured us," he said softly, nodding at the white dress I'd bought at a Muggle store while he'd been in a meeting that morning. He hadn't been able to let me wander around alone though. "Peaceful...starting a family."

I wrinkled my nose and smiled a little. "Shoppin' for baby clothes against my will."

He laughed in that Viktor laugh that I loved, playing with the ring on my left hand. "You look beautiful. Natural."

I rolled my eyes and stood up, finishing off the last of my ice cream. "Come on. Let's go to the Stock Exchange."

"The vhat?"

I tried explaining it, but it was something you just had to see for yourself. The New York Stock Exchange building was the entrance to the Wizard's Stock Exchange. American wizards from all four corners of the United States flocked here to buy pieces of the world and get all of their wizarding goods.

Viktor, already dressed to impress, made no splash as he entered. The Muggles didn't know who he was and the wizards who did didn't blow his cover. "This place is...very..._Moogle_," he said softly, his lips right next to my ear.

He was right. The entire room had marble flooring, tall white pillars, and everything was stainless steel. Muggles and wizards bustled about, intent on their jobs, their money, or their lives. Poor sods. They had nothing but the money in their pockets, most of the time.

I grasped his hand, claiming him as mine, and pulled him along to the elevators. "It all is. America isn't as old as England. _Or_ Bulgaria. We have simply upgraded with the times." And I was glad, too. After visiting Diagon Alley, I'd felt a little dirty. Now we were going to Vertic Ally, also known as the "Stock Exchange" to the younger wizards of America. It was quickly becoming the wealthiest wizard shopping district in the world.

We got strange looks, (mostly _I_ got the strange looks, being pregnant with flip flops in an upscale, almost all-male area,) but we moved through the crowd to the elevators. The stainless steel doors opened, revealing a smaller than normal box that Viktor was not too eager to enter.

"Don't worry," I said, waiting until the door closed to whip out my wand. "_Equidem_ c_omperio_," I whispered, waving my wand at the elevator buttons. Suddenly one at the very top appeared, only large enough to fit the end of my wand, and I put it in. Viktor raised an eyebrow, so I said, "It's to keep criminals out. Wand-scan, like back at the Academy."

"I vill never understand technoology."

I patted him on the hand as we went up and up, past the twenty-third floor, and kept going. "That's why I'm here."

He picked up our hands and kissed the back of mine. "And I loff that."

Finally the door opened on the top floor. I hadn't been here in a while, but it seemed as if the war hadn't reached this area yet. The stalls were tall and white in the old American-style housing, bright red roofs and brick streets for those who walked instead of using the rental carriages. The sky was charmed to stay bright and blue with wispy clouds and a bright sunshine raining down on us.

Viktor looked surprised at the bustling streets and the clean alleyways. I knew that he was eager to get me things. I usually didn't allow him to get me gifts, ever since the necklace...and the ring...I'd told him that _he_ was the best gift I would ever get. He didn't have to spend money on me, I was already in love with him.

But he'd said that he'd _wanted_ to spend money on me. He smiled down at me and pulled me along the street, both of us getting gawking looks from spectators. This was what I'd been worried about. Viktor had been in the news more and more recently, what with him returning to practice after having been completely _gone_ for months.

The news, sneaky bastards that they were, had figured out that he had been teaching at the Academy. While that had been a shock, no doubt would be the pregnant woman on his arm. "Viktor," I said out of the side of my mouth, through a gritted smile, "everyone is staring."

"You do not know how _beautiful_ you are, loff," he said simply giving me a kiss on the temple. A woman to my right gave a little gasp and appeared to faint from severe depression. "And besides, it has been a vhile since I vas taken in a permanent relationship, yes? This is...ah, _veird_ for everyone to understand."

Come to think of it, I couldn't remember Viktor Krum _ever_ being in a serious relationship with _anyone_. And I wasn't exactly sure when the last time was that I'd had so much attention on me.

I quickly pulled Viktor into Madame Coach's dressing store, hoping to get away from all the prying eyes. Madame Coach herself looked up from behind a gold-plated counter, (way too overly-decorated with purses for sale, if I had anything to say about it,) and her pleasant face turned horrified as she shrieked. "What...who...Viktor Krum! My! How pleasant to...see...you...in my shop! With your..." She dropped the sentence as she looked at me in shock and indignation.

My eyes clenched shut in frustration. Couldn't I go anywhere nice anymore without people freaking out over the fact that, yes, I was with _the_ Viktor Krum and, yes, I was fucking pregnant? So, maybe I wasn't supermodel beautiful. So, maybe I looked like a whale. So what! "Look, _Madame_, I just want some clothes. For one moment, forget that I have a child inside of me and that my fiance is a world-famous sports star. Just. Get. Me. Clothes." The faster I could get them tried on, the faster I could shop for something better. Like a new broom that held mommy _and_ baby.

The woman paled three skin shades down. Viktor, behind me, put a firm hand on my shoulder. "Leahn..."

I turned my eyes to him pleadingly. "It's...hormones?"

He wasn't buying it. "I know that you are mad...but this voman is simply surprised. Ve half not shown anyvone. I half been gone for many months." He leaned down, his scruff roughly scratching my cheek, and put his lips by my ear. "It makes them vonder...vhere has Viktor Krum been? Vhat has Viktor Krum been..._doing_?"

Heat filled my cheeks at his innuendo. I was glad that _Madame_ was gone because I didn't want her to hear and freak out again. "You've been teachin' me."

He chuckled lowly and grasped my stomach, pulling me back against him. I could feel his member pulsing with heat already. "Many things, apparently..."

I elbowed him gently, trying not to laugh and blush at the same time. "You scoundrel."

**1200 hours  
The Stock Exchange **

Twenty jumpsuits for pregnant women, thirty overly-priced dresses, and fifteen frilly babydoll tops later, I was trying on my last pair of pregnancy pants. We'd moved out of Madame Coach's store, (wouldn't you know, she only sells size 8 and down, the size of my left leg,) and into a wizard's pregnancy store.

Viktor had instantly become intrigued with the toys he could get our child. I knew that my daughter or son would be spoiled rotten by his or her daddy.

At the moment, I was trying on a magical pair of pants that adjusted at the waist as I got bigger. Too bad they made my butt look really fat, and that couldn't happen, it was my biggest selling point! Well, not to Viktor. He still had an uncommon obsession with my breasts. When he'd figured out that they would only be getting bigger from the pregnancy, he'd instantly taken me to the bedroom. Right in the middle of the school day.

I chuckled at the memory, slipping back on my sundress and taking off the pants. I was just about to leave when I heard something behind me. One had still on the door handle, I turned and looked in the mirror.

"Who do you think you are?" my reflection asked, scowling at me.

God, I hated enchanted mirrors. One at Madame Coach's store told me that I looked like a pig roast dressed in a curtain. I then proceeded to flip off the mirror. Maybe the whole "hormone" thing wasn't too far off.

I looked over myself in the reflection. My feet were swollen, although my toenails were cute in bright red, and my stomach looked equally large. I turned to the side, hoping to see how large I was really getting, but my reflection didn't turn. I scowled at it back and raised my wand. "_Anapnio,_" I said calmly, hoping to move the enchantment so that I could see myself. But it still blocked me.

"Who do you think you are?" my reflection asked, but this time, it wasn't my voice coming out of the mirror. My breath was stolen from me as I stood there, too scared to move. This was the voice that had come out of the Fiendfyre, the day when the school had almost burned to the ground. It was the one that sounded as if hundreds of people were saying the words, mixed with the sound of nails on a chalkboard. "Leigh Ann Nelson...we have tried to get answers from you easily...and the hard way."

I had no clue what the voice was talking about—all they'd ever done was torture and try to kill me! "What do you want from me?" I asked in a voice that almost sounded desperate.

An image came onto the mirror. Viktor was standing there, holding me, his arms around my waist as he whispered things in my ear. I recognized this as a few days ago, right before we'd had to go to my appointment. "We know your weaknesses, Leigh Ann...just tell us what we want to know. What we _know_ you know." Viktor then put his hand on my stomach in the image. Both he and my reflection looked up at me, grinning, their teeth turning into razors and their eyes glowing red.

Another image pulled up, one of Viktor being tortured with an Unforgivable Curse in front of me as I was held to the wall by shackles. My stomach was large and round. I was on my knees, begging for them to stop, to tell me what they wanted so that they would leave him alone.

"Stop!" I begged, hysteria in my voice as I breathed rapidly, unable to capture enough air. The door behind me was locked. I fumbled with the handle, but it wouldn't work. "Stop it! I don't know what you want!"

A hand formed in the glass, coming to life in front of me. It reflected my terrified face in its palm as it came closer and closer, coming around my neck and gripping tightly. "You know what we want."

_My baby_! It was the worst possible thing. If I couldn't breathe, than neither could my baby. My baby was going to die if I didn't get help. I thrashed, reaching for my wand, but it was on the ground. Spots started to show in my vision. Then I did the only thing that I could—I punched the arm that held the glass hand.

It shattered into a million pieces. I fell onto them as I fell to the ground, gasping for breath. My hands and knees were covered in blood.

"Leahn?" Viktor cried from outside, banging on the door. How had I not heard that? "Leahn, answer me! Vhat is vrong?"

Suddenly he blast the door open with some spell I hadn't heard. I felt tears falling down my face as I looked up at Viktor. His eyes were wide as he looked at me, then the mirror at which I had shattered. Words were written on the wall in my blood:

**THEY WILL BE NEXT**

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**Happy times to angsty times. Will happen more, yes?**

**Review?**


	51. Infiltration

**I've been gone a long time, I know, I know. I'm just so close to being done that I've hit a road block! Now that I've gotten a writing jag for a day, I've got a little more done. I just am trying to fill in some areas between now and the baby's birth.**

**By the way, I love the new cover feature! If anyone wants to draw a picture for me, I would gladly consider using it as my cover! **

**Disclaimer: I only own Leigh Ann, her family, and my respective OC's.**

* * *

**Infiltration**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****June 6, 1996  
****Noon  
****The American Academy of Magic – War Room**

_...At exactly one-twenty-two a.m. on the morning of June fourth, twelve known Dark Wizards broke free of Guantanamo Bay. They killed eighteen good Wizard Policemen, twenty civilian Muggles, and seven more fellow Dark Wizards. The government is keeping this down as much as possible. Known escapees are as follows.  
__Thorfinn Rowle  
__Owle Bullock  
__Selwyn  
__Greengrass  
__Yaxley  
__And many others.  
__There is no information currently on the whereabouts of these Dark Wizards or if they are or will be involved in the many attacks on Muggleborns in large cities. Those cities affected include New York, Seattle, Atlanta, and recently, our own capital. At almost midnight of June fourth, an attack was placed on the Capital. Four senators have been left dead, as well as three Unspeakables, a Councilwoman, and the Vice President of the UWS. All were Muggleborn. It appears that the Dark Wizards were trying to infiltrate the Hall of Prophecies. One of the Wizards was left, demented and crazed, having a seizure on the floor. He was dressed in the traditional garb of the Wizarding Ku Klux Klan. He refused questioning, breaking a pill in the back of his mouth filled with Doxy vemon, killing him instantly.  
__Once again, this is Taylor Nelson reporting on the mass breakout of Dark Wizards from GITMO. I would advise that Muggleborns stay out of large cities and schools. The government has yet to issue an official statement. Leighton W. Smith Jr. stepped down as the head of the North American Treaty Organization because of criticism of his involvment._

The war room was silent except for the buzzing of the overhead lights and the flickering fire. I couldn't get the idea out of my head that my mother could have been one of those killed. That many of her and my friends had been killed last night while I slept.

I picked up the phone again and tried to call her. Finally, I heard the tired voice of my mother on the phone. "Office of the Under Secretary, this is Rene Nelson speaking. No, we are not answering questions about the attacks, nor are we giving out information. How may I help you." She sounded dead and like there was no hope in the world.

"Mom," I breathed, fully relieved.

Suddenly there was a noise, as if she were casting spell on the other side. "Leigh Ann! Have you heard?"

I nodded, then realizing that she couldn't see it. "Yes. Aunt Tay posted an article in Wizards and Witches of America."

"Damn my sister!" she shouted, a crash coming over the receiver.

"Mom?"

"Damn it, that was my favorite paperweight..."

"Mom!"

She sighed and I could just picture her massaging the area between her eyes. "Yes, I know. I'm fine. Well...not really. My partner was killed. We had to promote the Speaker of the House, such a fucking _idiot_, into office to replace Buchanon. I just...I just ate lunch with him last week..."

"Mom. You need to come to the Academy. It's the safest place right now."

She laughed sarcastically, kind of hurting my feelings. "No offense, sweetheart, but the Academy's been attacked more times than all the outside attacks combined."

"Less people have been killed."

The line was silent as she thought that over. "I...I'll be there in a week. I've got to get everything cleaned up out here. In the meantime, you need to clean up your own mess."

I wasn't sure what she was talking about. "What?"

"Look at today's newspaper. I've got to go, baby. Be careful." She hung up before I could say anything. I pulled the receiver back and looked at it quizzically, putting it down and reaching for today's paper. What I saw made me instantly get a headache.

I held my head and tried to stop the pounding between my eyes. Everyone knew we were together now. I'd tried to warn him—even though his war was over, mine wasn't. And now they were after him.

Viktor and I were on the front page. It showed us holding hands and walking in front of the baby store. A full side view showed me obviously very pregnant. There had to be something I could do...something to protect him. But I didn't have time.

The school year was over, and, with the latest attack, the Academy was now preparing for full-on war with an enemy we couldn't see, track, understand, or follow.

_Merlin help us._

The room was completely empty except for the crackling of the fire near me. The Officer's meeting room had been changed into the War Room for the effort. It may have set some minds at ease to think that things were getting done, but, in reality, nothing was happening. That stupid pig Special Agent Joshua Gloria wouldn't let me in on anything and he'd done _nothing_. My opinion was that he was working for the KKK and was killing everyone from the inside.

Suddenly I heard a noise. I looked over to the fire, which was churning and bubbling. I stood up quickly, wand in hand, hand over stomach protectively. My wand was pointed at the fireplace, just waiting to hex some damn Member...

"Oi!" came a voice, sounding vaguely familiar. "Nelson!"

I stepped closer, looking into the fire, and I recognized Ginny Weasley made completely out of fire. All I could see was her face—and what an angry face it was. "Ginny?"

"Yes, Ginny, who else you nit?" I was surprised at her menace, replacing my wand and bending down next to the fire.

"Ginny, what—?"

"_Pregnant?_" she yelled over the floo call. "Bloody hell, Leigh Ann...why didn't you say anything? When was the wedding? We were at Jason's!"

Behind her, I could hear her loving mother yelling the same things. Fred, George, Ron, even their father were asking what had happened. When they heard, they started asking questions, too. My brain hurt just thinking about it.

"There was no wedding," I said simply, rubbing my temple and my stomach. I'd started to do that when things got bad. "Viktor and I are still engaged."

"What?" If she could have reached through the fire to hit me over the head, I was sure that she would. "You're too smart for that, Leigh Ann! Bloody twat... And you didn't even tell me!"

"Ginny, I couldn't tell anyone!" I finally shouted, wishing that the pounding in my head would go away. The baby squirmed uncomfortably in my belly. "I was scared and Viktor was gone and then there's this war..."

Suddenly Mrs. Weasley appeared in the floo, her red hair made even more comical by the flames. "Leigh Ann, is there anything you need?"

"A miracle," I said simply, feeling too old for my body. "How are things going over there?"

"Not any better than on your side, dear. No one believes Harry. An old witch has taken over Hogwarts and Death Eaters have escaped Azkaban."

I nodded, understanding how that went. "We had a breakout at Guantanamo Bay. So far there have been over fifty deaths in two days. There was an attack at the Capitol..."

"Is your mother alright?" she asked, panicked. Her wide eyes flickered in the fire.

"Yes, she's fine. Worn-out, upset, but fine. She's coming to the Academy next week to help with the war effort. Now that the Capitol has been attacked, there's no way that it can be ignored. We're at war. Not that we know a lot about the enemy..."

"Why are they attacking?" Molly asked, the silence of the room making it uncomfortable. I didn't know how to answer, so it was a moment before I spoke.

I shook my head and sat down on my knees, the kneeling position having become uncomfortable. "I don't know. I really don't know. But...I plan to find out."

"Don't do anything irresponsible," she said softly, looking at me with a mother's face. "We care for you and we don't want to see anything happen to you or the baby."

I smiled wearily at the older woman and kissed my palm, sending it to her. "Thank you, Molly. I'll be careful."

"Good. Take care."

"I will. You too."

**June 17, 1996  
****6:53 P.M.  
****War Room**

"What do you mean, there's another Wizarding War in Europe?" my mother asked frantically over the phone. I could vaguely hear the Prime Minister arguing with my mother over the phone. Why he had called my mother and not the President was confusing to me. "You want us to send _troops_? Prime Minister, if you haven't noticed, we're in a bit of pickle over here as well!"

There was more arguing for a few minutes. I looked around at the few others in the room, wondering why I had as much clearance as them. Special Agent Gloria looked at me with a raised brow when he caught me staring. The other Special Agent next to him, a weasel-looking Asian man, was looking around suspiciously and glaring at everything. The General looked as though he was paying special attention to the phone call. The two Marines in the room looked off, highly alert. Leah Sampson was standing next to me, looking at me questioningly.

Finally, my mother said some choice words into the phone and hung up, rather loudly, if I said so. She braced herself on the table and breathed deeply, pushing her bangs out of her face before standing back up. "Alright. We have no help from England."

"What happened?" Leah asked, standing with one hip cocked and both arms crossed over her chest.

"There was an attack at the Hall of Prophecies there, as well. The Ministry of Magic was infiltrated. Many important figures were killed. A few Death Eaters were arrested and sent back to Azkaban."

"There was a breakout a while back," I spoke up, seven sets of eyes instantly one me. "What?" I asked when they didn't say anything.

"How did you know that?" my mother asked, wringing her hands in front of her. She only did that when she was nervous. Behind her, Gloria looked very suspicious.

I wasn't sure why it was such a big deal. It was known all over England. "I have contacts in England. Things are pretty bad over there."

My mother laughed hysterically, sarcastically, for one moment. "That's an understatement! And you know what puts the icing on the cake?" None of us said anything as we shifted uncomfortably. I knew that my mother was at her breaking point. "Cornelius just stepped down as Prime Minister!"

Everyone in the room cursed except me. I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but obviously it was bad. Instantly, Gloria and my mother started arguing. He was insisting that it was her fault the Prime Minister stepped down. Then Leah stepped in to defend my mother. One of the Marines sided with Gloria. The General just sat back with a large frown on his face and the Asian looked rather sick to his stomach.

I rubbed my hand over my face, getting a headache again. I then burped, the baby moving uncomfortably in my belly. My burp turned into bubbles that popped into fireworks. One hand flew to my mouth as the argument was interrupted for the participants to look directly at me. "Ah...sorry. Indigestion."

The General's face was the only one that wasn't incredulous. Actually, he looked almost angry for a moment before he wiped his features. I only had a moment to notice it before the door was burst open.

Alana O'Malley, my nemesis, was standing there, her chest heaving. Her perfect hair was messy and her uniform was unkempt. "Come quick!" she shouted before anyone could chastise her. "Hurry!"

We all gave a look to each other before we all pushed out the door, following her down the hallway. We rushed to the mess hall, coming into a bloody scene.

Blood was washed all over two of the four tables. The walls were splattered, there were drag marks all over the floor, as if people had continued to go even when injured. Bodies were lying on the ground...the bodies of some of my classmates who had stayed to support the war effort.

Viktor was on the ground by four dead KKK members. He was bleeding from his shoulder where he'd been shot. His left arm was also burned from a curse. He was cursing and helping the other injured students. When I finally got his attention, I ran over to him. But someone stopped me.

She was bleeding out from the stomach. Her long, silky black hair was bloodied and matted to her hair from a hit to the head. The stomach wounds were from guns, not magic. But the black welts on her legs were from one of the ugliest hexes I had ever seen. I raced over to her and knelt. My white maternity pants were instantly covered in red as I pulled Alex's head into my lap, my hands shaking.

"A-Alex!" I cried, pulling her head up to mine. "N-no!" I screamed and hugged her tighter, tears falling from my face. Viktor was behind me, hugging me to him and hushing me. He rubbed my stomach and kissed my head, trying to comfort me. It didn't work. I pushed him away and gathered up my best friend, sitting her in my lap and cradling her head against my breast. I rocked back in forth, trying to get rid of the pain.

"What the hell?" my mother screamed, sending a hex into the wall. "How did those fuckers get in without us noticing! Viktor! What the hell happened!"

Viktor stood up, holding one hand to the bullet wound on his arm. "I do not know. I vas vatching over the students. One of them said something about the attack on the Capitol and then ve vere attacked. One of them got avay."

Gloria crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the scene of destruction with hatred on his face. "They were already here. Planted." He then walked over to a dead Member and yanked off her hood. Penelope McPherson, one of the two other girls who had been in my DADA class, stared up with dead blue eyes.

Every teacher in the room either threw something, let loose a curse, or cast a hex at the wall in their frustration. My mother punched the wall next to her and then held her knuckles. Gloria looked murderous. The Asian...I couldn't see him.

My mother instantly yelled, "The damn prophecy doesn't make sense!" Gloria glared at her, but she yelled, "I don't care, Gloria! Nothing makes sense anymore. There isn't a protocol for this. We can't pin anyone, we can't accuse anyone of anything yet—"

Suddenly I was being pulled to my feet. The Asian Special Agent suddenly had his arm around my neck and a gun pressed into the side of my belly. The entire room went silent. "Where is the prophecy?" the little man asked, his voice shaking, as was his gun hand. He was petrified to be holding me at gunpoint.

I was petrified of losing my baby. I looked over at Viktor to see the same fear in his eyes. I whimpered, trying not to lose control. _What do I do?_

"Jeong," Gloria said menacingly, his gun and want both held up, "don't do anything stupid. That's a pregnant woman."

"She's the one in the prophecy, isn't she?" he asked quietly, his hold around my neck tightening. I sputtered and no one answered his question. "_Isn't she?_"

My mother, who also had her gun and wand out, asked, "Why does it matter? Let her go!"

"I've been following you, Nelson," he said to my mother, his force wavering, letting me breathe once again. "Following you, seeing if you were the girl who had a baby who would end the war. But it's not you. It's her! We have been after her for months, but we haven't been able to get her. We aren't allowed to kill her...only He is. I just have to take her to him..."

"Let her GO!" Viktor yelled, his wand shaking from anger. I'd never seen such a fire in his eyes. I'd also never been more afraid.

"I can't, don't you see?" he yelled, pushing the barrel of his gun deeper against my abdomen. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. "I'll be labeled as a blood-traitor! I don't want to kill a pregnant woman...but I will if I have to! Don't come any closer!"

"You're surrounded, Jeong," voice from behind us said. Jeong yanked me around to stare down a dozen sets of wands and guns, each pointed at his head. He started backing up, putting his back to a wall and placing my head in front of his.

"If you shoot me, you kill her, too. It only takes a second to pull this trigger." He then moved the gun from my stomach, starting to bring it up. I took that split second of a moment to bring my head forward and throw it back, connecting with his nose In the instant that I rolled down and onto the floor, away from any gunshots or magic, thirty bullets were put into his skull and body, as were multiple curses and hexes.

I laid on the floor, flat on my back for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Cogs were whirling in my head, plans forming, questions being asked and answered. A few people were leaning over me, Viktor, my mother, Gloria. All of them were asking questions, but I couldn't hear anything except a high-pitched squeal.

I was helped to sit up, slowly, and then picked up to my feet. I laid my head against Viktor, able to hear his heart over the squeal. I glared at Gloria until my hearing returned.

"...What do you mean by bringing that Klan Member here?" my mother was shouting at him. He looked angry and confused, staring at the mutilated body of his partner.

"He was screened, monitored, and checked every step of the way," Gloria said simply, his jaw tight from anger. "I don't know how he got through."

"Maybe because _you_ let him through," the General said simply, glaring at Gloria.

Everyone started to gang up on him. I, though, suddenly yelled, "Everyone, _stop_!" They all turned to look at me, tear-stained and scared out of my mind. "What the hell was that? What was Jeong talking about?"

My mother looked frightened, her eyes widened. "Leigh Ann...it was...ah..."

"It was _what_?" I stepped away from Viktor, my legs wobbling, and held a hand over my stomach. "I just had a gun held to my baby. My best friend is _dead_. I deserve some answers."

Everyone was silent. No one would look at me.

I smirked and shook my head. "Unbelievable. Well, if you won't tell me, then I'll have to figure it out myself." They all tried to follow me, but I turned and glared at them. They called out for me, asking for me to come back so that they could talk.

I walked fast to my room, ignoring the call of my mother and everyone else back in the room. I locked the door that led from the war room to Viktor's hallway and then ran into his room, packing a small bag of clothes. I made sure to pack my prenatal vitamins and everything I would need—ID's, money, passport, even a few fake ID's just in case.

The government could no longer be trusted. I was alone and needed to figure out what the hell was going on. Viktor couldn't know where I was going—neither could anyone else.

Alex...Alex was gone. Those bastards had killed her. What would I do without her? How could I live, knowing that she'd been killed right under my nose? And Viktor...

_Viktor..._ I thought with tears in my eyes, placing a fist against my mouth to keep from crying out. _I can't...I just don't know..._

"Leigh Ann." My head flipped to the side to see Jessica leaning up against the door frame, looking at me as I grasped Viktor's picture in my hands. I kissed it and set it down as she shifted uncomfortably in the doorway. "...You really plan on going, then."

I made a disgusted sound and glared at her. I had to keep packing. I didn't know how much she knew or _how_ she knew what she knew, but I really didn't care. "What else am I supposed to do? They've threatened my friends, my school, my job...it won't be long until they come after my family! In fact...they already have. I can't sit around and do nothin' while murderers get away. I can't let my unborn child be in danger."

Finally my sister pushed up and walked over to me, grabbing me by the shoulder and turning me around to face her. "You don't know what you're doing." For the first time in a long time, I looked at her face. She was only seventeen and yet grey had begun to show at her roots. Deep black bags were under her beautiful blue eyes which were quite dull at the moment. Her skin was sickly and pale, her lips cracked and dried.

I pulled away from her, worried but uninterested. "That's the problem. I don't know why they want me or why they are attackin' the school." I grabbed a few more clothes and stuffed them into my bag hurriedly. "The government can't be trusted. I'm going to find something that I _know_ can be trusted."

She growled in frustration and threw her hands up in the air before running them over her face. "Leigh Ann, these people are more trouble than you think they are. Anyone with Muggle blood down their line just needs to get out before they're targeted. And with Dad being so close to our Pureblood line, we're the first targeted, to get us out of the way, to show everyone a lesson. We need to get out of here."

"Shut up!" I shouted, my eyes narrowed in anger. "Don't you bring dad into this! He's safe for now over in Bosnia."

"Leigh Ann—"

I gave her another glare. "They've made this personal by killing Alex. I'm not goin' anywhere. Not until these people are in Azkaban or GITMO where they belong."

Jessica's eyes were pleading as she got down on her knees in front of me, her hands clasped as she begged me not to leave. "You have no idea what you're talkin' about! They could show up anywhere, at the school, at America's Quidditch pitch, and just snatch you out of the air! They already have! Leigh Ann—"

I took a deep breath and grabbed her arm, pulling her back up off of the ground. I made her look me in the eye. "Jessica, if you try to tell me that these people are dangerous one more time, I'm gonna slap you. I'm not gonna run at the first sight of danger. The damned Wizard KKK isn't enough to scare me away from everythin' I love, and neither are you, even if you are my sister."

Without warning, her eyes narrowed in anger and she clenched her jaw shut. I'd never seen her look quite so.._.evil. _"...We warned you, just remember that. We warned you."

A quiet dread fell over me as I played back the words I'd just heard. "_We_?" I asked, taking a step back from her. My hand instantly went to my stomach. "Jessica, who is _we_?"

She didn't answer, just looked at the ground for a moment. Then she turned and left, slamming the door behind her. I tried to ignore what she'd said as I continued packing. I had a trip to Washington D.C. to plan...and no one, not even my family, was going to stop me.

They killed my friends.

They terrorized my school.

_They tried to kill my child._

I had a prophecy to find.

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**I really want to hear if you like this chapter! I want to know your thoughts on the death, the escapes from GITMO, and the talk of a prophecy.**


	52. Washington DC

**First of all, I want to thank everyone for their support! 100 reviews, over 200,000 words, and over 50 chapters! Woah! We don't have too far to go...and many of you won't appreciate my plot twists in the next few chapters. As well as how short this one is, but it needs to be here!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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**Washington D.C.**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****June 18, 1996  
****3:34 A.M.  
****Washington D.C.**

Washington was not like New York at all. Instead of being completely new and shiny and bright, Washington was filled with historical buildings. White marble was in most of the places I looked. Perfectly managed gardens and grass, trees sprouting up from the concrete... I wanted to stay and look at all of the beauty and history packed into this place, but I was on a mission.

I shouldered my pack and quickly found a hotel that would be a good place to blend in. My things would be safe and I would have a room for operations if I needed to plan anything. I had a view of the main boulevard in front of the White House and I could easily get away if needbe. I was hoping that the need wouldn't be.

Suddenly the necklace on my neck started burning. I wanted to take it off, knowing that Viktor had put some kind of charm on it, but I didn't dare. I knew that it had protected me once. Well, I didn't want to take it off until I sensed a wizard Apparating into my room.

My wand was out and held close as I readied to face off against someone...only to see Viktor crouched low on the ground, his hawk eyes taking in every aspect of the room before landing on me. He breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

But not before I pointed my wand at him and glared.

"Leahn?" he asked with confusion, holding his hands up in front of him as if it would ward off the hex I was about to send up his ass.

My hand was shaking—this was Viktor, after all. The baby inside of me was just as much mine as it was his. But I didn't waver my aim. "Get out."

"Leahn!" His face was completely shocked and a little indignant. "Come back...ve need to talk about this!"

I shook my head and holstered my wand in the sheath I'd made to go around my arm. My gun was on the one on my thigh. I then realized that I couldn't reach it...because of my stomach. Growling, I turned from Viktor and started unpacking—I was still in my bloodied clothes. The man at the counter hadn't said anything, strangely. "I've tried talking about it. No one has believed me, no one has helped me...even you, Viktor! You've been caught up in your war and you haven't even bothered listening to mine! Well, now Alex is...is dead. And revenge is a _bitch_ in maternity clothes."

As I was pulling my shirt over my head, Viktor stepped up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. My stomach, now with a 26-week baby inside, was larger than ever. And, I suddenly realized as Viktor ran his hands over my skin, that my belly-button had popped out. I stared at it for a moment until Viktor realized the same thing. We both started laughing at the strangeness of it, my head leaning back on his shoulder as he hugged me tighter.

Suddenly the baby kicked against the side of my belly where Viktor's hand was, as if saying, 'hey, I'm in here, too!' I turned to my lover and kissed him gently, reveling in the beauty of what we had created together. We were silent for a long time, just feeling the baby flutter around.

"You vill miss your next appointment," he said softly, his head on my shoulder. "Ve vill not know about baby gender."

Since I'd been behind on my appointments, Doc had been doing some later than usual. She should have told me the gender a few weeks ago, but she hadn't. Because Viktor hadn't been there. But that was beside the point. "I know. But...it can wait."

"I do not vant you...in danger," he said as I pulled away and started taking off my white, bloody pants. I pulled up my hair and ignored him because I knew that what I was doing my warrant as "dangerous." "Leahn!"

"What, Viktor?" I snapped, pulling a dress shirt over my shoulders, having issues buttoning around my swollen breasts and stomach. "What do you want me to say? That I'm goin' to run off to Bulgaria and hide while everyone else fights a war that supposedly has a prophecy about me? Why the hell would I be the one targeted if it wasn't about me, Viktor?"

"I vill not let you hurt yourself!" he shouted as he threw his hands up in the air. His dark brown, chocolate eyes were full of pain and worry as they watched me and I tried not to care. "At least let me come vith you!"

I shook my head the entire time he ranted, pulling my unruly hair into a curly bun, pulling on a pencil skirt and some flats that wouldn't be too tight around my already-swelling feet. Lastly I threw a jacket around my shoulders. "Viktor, it's a highly-classified mission. I'm sorry, but you don't have the authorization codes."

I had never seen him look more incredulous. "You pull the military excuse _now_?" he asked, almost angry with me. "Leahn, do not be stupid! Your mother and I...ve vill help you!"

"I'm not bein' stupid. I'm bein' logical. I won't get hurt, Viktor." I tried to brush past him, but he stopped me by grabbing my arm and turning me around to face him.

"Vhat if they capture you?" His eyes were so pleading...I wanted to do nothing more than give into him, to be whisked off to Bulgaria to have my baby. But I wasn't going to leave thousands of American wizards to just die.

"You heard Jeong," I said simply, unable to meet his eyes. I tore my arm from his and continued to walk to the door, bag and jacket in hand. "They want me alive. And Jeong said that the prophecy stated that I _would_ have the baby. They wouldn't hurt me in fear of hurtin' the child."

"It is not that _simple_!" he shouted at me as I walked out of the room.

My necklace lay sitting on the bloody clothing.

As did my wedding ring.

**June 25  
****Noon  
****The Pentagon**

It took me a week to plan my infiltration. After I'd left Viktor standing in the perfect hotel room for my needs, I'd found the second best hotel room for my needs, near the Pentagon, and continued planning.

Getting into the Pentagon was a lot more difficult than I'd anticipated. Not only were there Muggle entrances, but I had to pass all the Wizard checkpoints as well. First of all, it was three times the size of the Empire State Building. There were over 23,000 workers, both civilian and military, Muggle and Wizard.

It was a sight in and of itself as I Apparrated myself behind a metro bus. My mother worked here every day, using the floos which were undoubtedly being monitored. I was just trying to get in, get the prophecy, and get out without detection. I would unfortunately have to use my real name, which carried a lot of weight. It would also set off a lot of internal alarms.

My belly stuck out of my dress jacket, which probably looked strange, but I walked in anyway. There was a tour going on as I moved in but I ignored the Muggle tourists and kept going. The first checkpoint was in front of me.

As I moved forward, I pinned my ID to my front pocket, nodding at the Muggle military sergeant in charge of the low-level clearance point. He nodded to me, looking strangely at my pregnant belly but saying nothing to a superior Officer. Or maybe he recognized my mother's name. _Check one, __down. _

Actually, I realized that he hadn't recognized my mother's name. Because, past the third Checkpoint, (the guard was a Wizard, still not mentioning anything to her superior Officer,) was the floo room. But something was different. No one was just popping out of a fireplace here. There were just alcoves in the wall where Wizards were popping in and out, almost as if the alcoves were giving energy to Apparating. It was harder to track Apparations.

_So_, I thought as I took off my real ID and stuck it in my back pocket, _knowing about Wizards is a Level Five clearance._ I hated to think what Nine or Ten was. Aliens? Area 52?

Shaking my head, I continued down the hallways, going down a flight of stairs and through yet one more checkpoint, this time with a fake ID. It wasn't _too_ far from the truth. I just wasn't my grandmother. I hated to think that if it was this easy to fake my way into the Pentagon, how easy had it been for the Klan to kill the Vice President?

I went past too many offices to name for certain, but I stopped when I saw a certain one. _Under Secretary for Defense – Rene Nelson, Wizard. _I couldn't pass up the chance to be in my mother's office. Who knew what she had been keeping from me? Who knew what I could figure out...

I then realized that there was a wand scan. If I scanned my wand, she would know that I had been in her office. But just maybe, it was worth it. I took a deep breath and put my wand into the scanner, surprised to see the light turn green and the door open.

"_Welcome, Leigh Ann Nelson."_ The simulated male voice made me jump. But I exhaled and opened the door, surprised to see a neatly-organized office with pictures of our family up and around the walls. There was a picture of my mother shaking President Clinton's hand and having tea with Hillary. It was just...strange, to say the least.

There was nothing out of place. The strange thing was was that my mother was _never _this meticulous. Our ranch was only clean because my grandmother and grandfather could never sit still and needed to clean everything. My mother's room was quite the mess, actually.

Something in the back of my mind kept saying that this was wrong. I rifled through her drawers, finding a few codes and such and grabbing them, and then quickly left. Something just didn't feel right. But I did grab something that mentioned that it was Classified.

There was just one more checkpoint before I got to where the Unspeakables worked. I wondered how long it had been since my mother had done any of this work...then again, what did it matter to me? She was a big wig in Washington. That's all that I needed to know. If Washington was corrupted, then so technically was my mother. I wanted to be able to trust her. But, after what had happened with Jeong, I was on my own.

Alex had been the only other person who had believed me. Now I had a few classmates who had killed her. She'd been Pureblood! Just because she tried to defend a few helpless Muggleborn...

I stopped for a moment and punched the wall on my left, glad that there was no one in the hallway to hear me cry out in anguish. What had Alex done to deserve any of that? Why was she...why had she...

The knuckle in my mouth kept me from making my cries audible. But I couldn't stop. I had to keep going. What I was doing would either help me understand what was happening or confuse me even more. Whatever happened, I needed to keep going. For me, for Marie, for Alex, and for my baby.

The last checkpoint was a very old man with a metal detector. I instantly removed my gun with a spell, cursing that I wouldn't be able to have it with me. He found nothing wrong—actually, he was almost blind, so I wasn't sure how he could do anything. He smiled a toothless smile and sent me on my way. Something just wasn't _right_ about all of this. But I was too far in to quit now.

The doors were no longer labeled. I was thankful for Marie Lingham teaching her advanced classes the layouts of all the major buildings in the Capitol—without her help, I wouldn't have even made it this far. The Hall of Prophecies was the third to last room before the very last checkpoint, designed for Level Nine clearance and up. Technically these rooms were Level Eight clearance, which I didn't have, but my prophecy was in there—I needed it. There were certain rules that could be broken. Especially if you were pretending to be your mother's mother, who _did_ have clearance.

I let the room scan my iris, my body, and my wand—if I were to be discovered, it would at least be after I obtained the prophecy. Surprisingly, the scan let me in. Slowly, I opened the door. The room was dark and cold. It extended for miles, hundreds of thousands of shelves holding prophecies lining the one walkway I was standing in. The overhead fluorescent lights flickered ominously, buzzing, adding only to the sound of my heels on the ground.

I walked for what seemed like miles, trying to find what I knew was mine It would be the one thing that would finally tell me what the hell was going on. I knew that it wouldn't be easy to figure out the meaning of the prophecy—seers were tricky bastards. We didn't have one at the school for some reason, probably because they were sneaky and weird to a T.

The shelves just kept going and going. I looked at the labels on the shelves, going past the L's, then the M's, until finally I reached the N isle. I took a left turn and walked down until finally I found the shelf that had the name 'Nelson' on a gold plate underneath it. I saw two—one labeled for my mother, another for my sister. But none for me.

My fingernails dug into my palms as I fisted my hands angrily. _What prophecy, mother? There isn't one here for me!_

Taking a deep breath, I thought about it. Sometimes prophecies contained more than one person. The name of the first person would be used for organization. "_Accio_ Leigh Anna Marie Nelson prophecy," I said simply, not wishing to trigger a security mechanism. Instantly two globes flew at me, swirling around my head, waiting for me to grasp one. I reached up and grabbed the larger of the two.

I held the orb in my hands, feeling its warmth. The tag read,

_Mary Custis-Lee (wife of Robert E. Lee, Nelson ancestors) to General Robert Harrington  
__Descendant of Mary Lee (?)  
__Robert Harrington_

Whispers started moving around me as if ghosts were speaking in my head. I clenched my eyes and tried to breathe through it. Then, gritting my teeth, I threw my prophecy onto the ground.

The grey mist in the orb started flooding around me, the whispers turning into shouts. I gasped and covered my ears and clenched my eyes shut, trying to get them out of my head. All of a sudden, the voices stopped.

I opened my eyes to see a woman who looked like me, but older, with thick brown hair pulled into two pigtails on the sides of her head. She was wearing an old Civil War-era gown, complete with headdress. She looked at me curiously before smiling. I then realized that she was made out of mist. Her mouth opened and out spewed more mist, making me flinch. She then started speaking in a rasping voice, one that completely scared me.

"_The Harringtons must comply,  
__Or feel the wrath of the Semper Fi..._"

Ghosts started swirling around me, soldiers on horses, fighting with bayonettes and Civil War-era rifles. They disappeared as soon as they appeared, only showing bits of battle as this _Mary Lee_ kept talking.

_"The war will be stopped by the birth of a girl baby,  
__First in 17__th__, then the 20__th__ centuries." _

A small baby girl appeared in her arms and she smiled sadly at me.

_"War will rise only twice,  
__With death not enough to suffice."_

__Lying at the woman's feet were suddenly hundreds of dead bodies, but she was holding a wand and looked haggard. Blood was running down her beautiful gown and once again she smiled sadly as she fell to the ground, her hands on the two dead young boys in front of her.

_"__The sacrifice of one mother will remain  
__The only way to end the suffering."_

The woman who looked so much like me laid down on the floor and disappeared in a swirl of mist. My heart was pounding. I looked up to the other orb still fluttering above my head. Its tag read,

_Doctor Rachel McCall to General George Harrington  
__Leigh Ann Nelson (?)  
__Jessica Nelson (?)  
__George Harrington_

I didn't want to touch it again, but I knew that I had to. What was with both of them being about Harringtons? Why was I so full of dread? I was going to think on the last one, but the orb suddenly dropped to the ground. I flinched and squeezed my eyes closed as screams enveloped me once more, mist and wind blowing my hair back. I then opened my eyes to see Doctor McCall standing in front of me without her bottlecap glasses. Her flaming red hair was more tame than I had ever seen it and she seemed at least a dozen years younger.

"_A girl of half and full blood,  
__Born under the seventh month."_

__A mother appeared, looking strangely like my mother. She was in a hospital bed, holding me, while Dr. McCall stood over her with a blank expression.

"_A tale of death will then flood,  
__Till new babe is born and strength becomes."_

__I was expecting something there, but then I realized that my baby hadn't been born yet. The mist-Doctor was just looking at me, her eyes glowing like a ghost's.

_"Schemes and lies will she unfold,  
__While friend and family wait at heaven's door."_

I saw Alex appear, smiling at me, as well as Marie Lingam and all of the children who had died under my watch at the Academy.

_"To forget one's love to fight a war,  
__And to end all trust before there's more."_

__Viktor was standing in front of me, his hand held out as he looked at me with fear in his eyes. "Viktor," I said softly, trying to follow him, but he disappeared before I could reach out and touch him.

"_Death.  
__Poverty.  
__Despair.  
__Hope in a babe with none left to spare."_

Then the apparition of the woman disappeared in a swirl of smoke, leaving me in the silence of the buzzing florescent lights.

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**Propheciesssssss, muahaha!**


	53. Leigh Ann Returns Again

**So, I haven't heard from many of you for a while. Did I have too long of a hiatus? I apologize immensely! Tell me what I'm doing wrong?**

**Anyway, although this is a short chapter, it is revealing...and... ****Pregnant tiems!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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**Leigh Ann Returns (Again)**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****July 10, 1996  
****Washington D.C.**

_The crowd was going wild. "I've got it, I've got it!"_

_Chasing._

_Catching._

_Throwing._

_Celebrating._

_What was that man in the audience doing? What did I care. I'd just won our Little League game. I was being celebrated by my teammates and by my parents. I was getting praised and petted. What could be better?_

_Victory lap!_

_But suddenly my broom jerked. The man in the audience was mumbling to himself, all alone in the bleachers. He was wearing all white. He pulled his hood up over his head to hide his face from me and kept mumbling. My broom jerked again._

_A woman screamed. I started crying out in fear as the man with the pointy white hat raised his hand to me. That was when I lost the grip on my broom and fell. My hip hit first, fracturing the bone. Intense pain shot through me as I looked up to the man and saw ice blue eyes, salt and pepper hair, and—_

I sat up, sweating, completely awake as I grasped my stomach and held back a sob. I hadn't had that nightmare in a long time. I never made it to the part where I saw the man's face, though. I always woke up right before I hit the ground. Maybe I'd kept going because my hip really _was_ hurting. It was tingling and numb, something normal that happened quite a bit now that I was heavier with child. I stood and stretched. The child inside me moved irately, telling me that I should be sleeping as well. I couldn't, though. Not when he or she was pushing on my bladder.

I waddled to the restroom and sat on the toilet, putting my face in my hands and breathing deeply. I was now in my 27th week of pregnancy. My second trimester was over...and any time I gave birth, my baby would be healthy. I still had a little while to go. But I missed my mother. I wanted advice on sleeping, on getting my baby to stay still and to stop kicking me in the ribs. He or she was a regular Karate Kid, that was for sure.

I wanted to sleep with my husband again. But the more I thought about it, the worse my prophecy sounded. _To forget a love to fight a war..._ Did I have to forget about him to win? Did he have to forget about me?

Why couldn't this be as easy as infiltrating a government agency?

Getting out of the Pentagon had been almost as easy as getting in, especially since I'd had my mother's clearance codes. I didn't get stopped. I wasn't discovered. It was almost _too_ easy. And now, sitting on a toilet in a hotel in D.C., I was just...tired. I wanted to have a normal pregnancy. I wanted to go shopping for baby clothes and look up baby names. But it was kind of difficult to do when I was being plagued by KKK Members and reading about the deaths of even more innocent Muggleborn.

God, I didn't want to think about any of it. I didn't want to wonder why the General and his family was involved with my prophecy. I didn't want to think about death or running or _death..._

When I was done peeing, which I tended to do every other hour, I decided that it was time to return to the Academy. There was nothing I could do by hiding out. More and more people were dying while those bastards looked for me...the last thing I needed was to lose a family member.

_While friend and family wait at heaven's door..._

There were a few things that need accomplished first, though...

**Viktor Krum  
****July 31, 1996  
****4:38 P.M.  
****War Room**

"Igor Karkaroff's body has been found," Viktor told the meeting room, looking into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, General Harrington, and Borislav Slavnic, the new headmaster of Durmstrang. "He was found in a deserted cabin in the north of Bulgaria."

As none of the other headmasters knew of the location of the Academy, only Viktor and the General were the only two figures in the room. Instead, three magical holograms of the other headmasters were standing straight and see-through on either side of the long table in the War Room. Special Agent Gloria was standing in a dark corner, arms over his chest as he watched what was going on.

"Do we know how he was killed?" Albus asked as he stroked his beard.

The General shook his head, his hands behind his back as he stood up proudly. "No. It appeared as though he was tortured to death, though. I sent troops up to bring his body back for autopsy."

"Take heem to St. Mungos," Borislav said with a sneer, rolling his eyes. "I find thees...gross." Obviously he meant that he found it repugnant, but Viktor was sure that the new headmaster wasn't very good with English. "I do not vant that bastard in mine country."

"Understood," the General said, picking a cell phone up off the table and walking away to make a call to the troops.

Viktor sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He felt as though he'd aged twenty years in the past month. Not seeing Leigh Ann...not knowing if she was healthy, if the _baby_ was healthy, was killing him. "Half any of you seen Leahn? Heard from her?"

There was silence for a moment until Maxime spoke up. _"Oui._ I 'ave."

He instantly was staring at her, walking closer to her hologram before realizing that she wouldn't see his hostile stance. "_Vhat?"_

She looked slightly uncomfortable as she fidgeted wrung her hands in front of her. "Well, you see, _Leahn Anna_ was at _Beauxbatons._ She was recruiting _moi_ for an army."

This caught the General's attention—as well as every other headmaster in the room. The General snapped closed the bottom of his large cell phone, striding over to the table. "_What?"_

The headmistress looked rather uncomfortable. "Well, she told me not to tell. She will be back soonair or latair. She was gathairing...friends to fight ze Klan."

"I have seen her as well," Dumbledore said with a bow of his head. All eyes then snapped to him, especially Viktor's angered ones. "Unfortunately, I could not aid her. We are having our own problems over here. Harry Potter and his family were attacked at his sixteenth birthday just today. Death Eaters have taken over Millennium Bridge. Mr. Olivander has disappeared. With all that has happened, it does not seem that we can help America."

"Priorities first," the General said with a deep frown on his face. He obviously understood but didn't like it. "So, the Lieutenant is gaining forces for us..."

"Vas she alvight?" Viktor asked Dumbledore, feeling as though all of the energy had been sucked out of him. "Please, vas she healthy...?"

Albus nodded and smiled, his face kind and fatherly. "Of course. She and the baby were perfectly fine when I saw her this morning. Miss Nelson was just complaining about not being able to see her feet..."

_Her stomach is so round with our child..._ Viktor thought with a laugh, happiness in his eyes as he thought of her. He missed her so much. "Did she say vhen she vould return?"

Dumbledore smiled once more and nodded his head behind Viktor—he turned and looked, seeing a haggard- but otherwise healthy-looking Leigh Ann standing in the floo. He then raced over, grabbed her face, and pulled her in to a kiss.

She laughed when he released her, placing her forehead on his and smiling. "I'm fine, Viktor. And so is our little girl."

Her words shocked him—he couldn't speak for a moment. Instead, he took in her glowing skin, her hazel eyes, her thick, shining auburn hair, and her full lips that were set in a smile. "Ve are...halfing a girl?"

She smiled wider and nodded, grasping his hands and placing her forehead on his. "Yes."

Suddenly there was a clearing of a throat from behind them. Viktor turned to see Agent Gloria standing there with his arms crossed, a glare coming from his Latino eyes. "I hate to break up this reunion, but Leigh Ann, you have a _lot _ to account for."

Leigh Ann's face went from glowing and beautiful to glaring and furious. She let go of Viktor and walked—more like waddled—over to Gloria, getting up in his face. "Look, _amigo_, I don't have to answer _anythin'_ to you _or_ the government. The only person I'm trustin' with my _own_ investigation is myself, is that clear?"

Viktor never wanted to get on the bad side of a pregnant woman. One moment they were all smiles and laughs, the next they were holding a gun to an Agent's face. To stop an international incident, Viktor gently grabbed Leigh Ann's arm and pulled it down. "Leahn, I am not sure that is necessary..."

"Necessary? Is bringin' a psychotic Special Agent into the Academy _necessary? _Was the death of my best friend _necessary?_" Suddenly she stopped ranting and grasped her stomach with the hand not holding the gun. She gritted her teeth and pulled her arm away from him, furiously straightening her maternity shirt which was getting much too small for her. "If you will _excuse _me, I have to waddle to the restroom. Again."

It was only slightly comical as he watched his love exit the room. He turned back to the room full of men and one woman and said, "I'm not sure vhat just happened."

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**Poor Viktor...no one is sure.  
**

**I would love your thoughts! **


	54. Too Early!

**Well, I have heard from Lettus B Frank and I thank that reviewer immensely! But have I done something wrong? I miss hearing from all of you!**

**Sorry for the wait. Life is so hectic!**

**NSFW**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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**Too Early!**

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****August 29, 1996  
****8:03 P.M.  
****Viktor's Room**

If I burped up some strange magical anomaly one more time, I was going to scream. As if the heartburn and indigestion weren't bad enough, I was constantly covered in goo, bubbles, or soot from fireworks that my little girl decided to dream up. I could just see her laughing in my stomach every time I was covered in smoke.

"You were the same way," my mother said with a laugh as she grasped my legs and put them up on the ottoman. We'd been walking around all day in the war room, trying to cross reference all of the attacks to find where the next would be so that we could send troops. Now we were relaxing in Viktor's room until he got out of a meeting with the new Vice President of the UWS. "I couldn't turn around without burping up fire. Imagine explaining _that_ to your father."

The false sense of safety was fine for me for once as I relaxed with my mother. I knew that there could be another attack any time, but as of the moment, I just wanted to rest. So far, the Academy had been left alone. I wasn't sure why, but it had been.

Congress had been attacked. The Senate had been attacked. Every single Muggleborn Wizard having any ties with the government was being wiped out. In the real world, even the Muggles who _didn't_ have Level Five clearance were noticing. The body count was piling up so it was hard to miss.

We'd managed to get a picture of one of the members—he or she appeared to be the same attacker who had killed Alex. The same one who had been at the first attack on Halloween and who had started the fire that had killed a few students. He or she was very slim and pale. The person seemed to have a rank and seemed to be a leader of some sort. We weren't sure as to the ranking systems in the Klan, but obviously if we caught this person, we could do something about all of the attacks.

As for me, I was a regular swelling balloon. If I'd thought I'd been waddling at six months, I was definitely a duck at the end of seven. The little girl inside me was so..._gah_, she wouldn't stop moving! She enjoyed my discomfort immensely.

My mother and I had a little bit of bonding time. She felt the little devil kick and punch, laughing at my discomfort. She recalled fondly the midnight runs to the bathroom, raging hormones (_Eww, Mom!)_ and the swelling feet. "Have you and Viktor had much activity?"

"Mom!" I shouted, blushing and not able to meet her eyes. "Is that really any of your business?"

I knew that he had gone a while without me. I'd gone a while without him, too. But he didn't want to hurt me and I was kind of embarrassed by my larger-than-life size. I'd been so _needy_ that I'd almost given in to touching myself. I would burn up with need...but it just felt _wrong._

"What?" she asked innocently as Viktor came in the door behind me, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. "It's a normal thing in pregnancy."

"Vhat is?" Viktor asked when he hung up his robes and sat down on the bed to take off his boots.

My mother smiled devilishly and opened her mouth to say something before I stood up and yelled, "Don't answer! Don't you _dare!_"

She shrugged and stood up, still with a mischievous look in her green eyes. She looked to my fiance and smiled at him wryly. "You'll figure it out, big guy."

**9:56 P.M.**

Now that my mother had put the idea in my head, I was shifting uncomfortably with need. I didn't know how to tell Viktor...but hopefully the nighty that I had found was as much of a hint as any. It was cotton and lace, a light salmon pink, tight around my breasts and loose down to my knees.

"You look..._beautiful._" I turned form the mirror and looked at him, dressed in loose night pants and nothing else. He moved closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind and looking at us in the mirror. My cheeks flamed as I thought of the many things we could easily do, with how easy it was to touch me in this nighty.

He must have read my mind because he started kissing up my neck, biting my skin, sucking, and bucking his hips into mine. I moaned and leaned my head back against his shoulder, letting his hands roam down as his teeth bit at my ear. His hand went between my legs, suddenly stroking me.

"V-Viktor..." I groaned as I ground myself against his hand. The friction of the cotton underwear against my nub made me climb faster.

He pushed me against the wall, using his free hand to make me use my hands to brace myself. Then he stopped for a moment, making me whine—_I was so close._ I was wound so tight, heat filling my cheeks as he removed my underwear and I stepped out of it. Once again his hand found me. His lips and teeth sucked and bit at my neck as he rubbed himself against my back.

I bit my lip and panted, pushing back against him, begging him to get inside of me. My hips bucked once, twice, three times until his finger was moving so fast over me that I came apart just on his hand—he hadn't even pleasured himself yet.

He kissed my neck gently and then picked me up as I breathed deeply, trying to control myself. "Viktor...?"

"Shh..." He laid me down on the bed, gently stroking my hair back. "Try to relax, loff."

"But...what about—?"

He chuckled and started undressing himself, shooting me a warm look from over his shoulder. "Do not vorry about me, loff. I am not yet done vith you."

"_Oh..._"

**September 11, 1996  
****9:34 A.M.  
****War Room**

"I don't want him in this room," I growled at Viktor, glaring daggers into the back of Gloria's head. All I could think of was Jeong holding the dagger to my stomach. That, as well as the strange people I'd found in the Pentagon, made me thoroughly hate the government.

The codes that I'd found were not quite correct for what their "intended" purposes stated. Some said that they were for the defense network, but when signing in, none of them worked. Those that were for the Stock Market's financial records weren't meant for that either. Something was incredibly wrong with all of it.

And, as I stared at the curly head of Gloria, I knew that it was him. "He only wants the information on the Wizards I've recruited."

Viktor pulled out a chair for me and put a slight pressure on my shoulder. I didn't want to sit down, but I was so big that I couldn't help but lower myself. "Sit, luff. Your feet...they are still hurting?"

Yes, my feet were hurting. But that wasn't the point at the moment! I shrugged his hands off my shoulders and wanted to stand up. "I don't care about that! I don't want that bastard in my war room!"

"Ouch, Lieutenant," Gloria said, placing a hand over his heart. "That hurt."

"A lot more is gonna be hurtin' if I get my hands on you!" I then tried to stand up. It may have looked comical, a fat pregnant woman trying to get to her feet, but it really wasn't. Instead it was making me even angrier.

"Anna," my mother said in her stern voice, "don't make me glue you to that chair. You're getting too far along to be having a fit. Just calm down and we will talk about this like adults."

Finally I could stand up and I made a big show of it. I probably wasn't very intimidating to _Special Agent Gloria_, but my wand pointed at his balls should have made him rethink that. "I have been sittin' around here for months now, watchin' attacks be waged on Muggles. I'm sick of it. I want to do somethin' about it."

"Not in your condition," Viktor growled from behind me, grabbing my wand arm and dragging it down. "And Glovia is _not_ your enemy."

The smug Latino man kept his hazel eyes on mine, daring me to say anything. "I have yet to see that."

My mother came up to me and put her hand on my other arm, narrowing her eyes. "We can't do anything until the rebels agree to sit down with us. We don't know where their base of operations is, we don't know what they want other than the end to all Muggle wizards. There is nothing we can do—"

I snatched my arms from both of them, putting a hand to my stomach when I felt something move. "We can _fight back. _We know where some of them are held up. We send teams in, we take them out a little at a time. And don't try to get all diplomatic on me. If they sit down with us, you can bet that no one on our side is goin' t'get back up."

"What do you suggest we do, eh?" Gloria asked, his eyes narrowing at me.

"We get _her_." I pointed to the large picture on the wall of the one Member that always seemed to be at _every single attack._ "WANTED" was written in large letters above it. "We get her and we can undermine their entire operation."

The room was silent for a moment, all except a wet noise and a sudden splash at my feet. I looked down and saw water on the ground. _Great, someone spilled their water on me_.

Viktor cleared his throat. When I looked at him, he was very pale. "Ah, Leahn..."

"What!" I groaned, throwing my hands in the air. "Just, _what_, Viktor?"

"I think your vater just broke."

* * *

**Baby Krum is on the way!**


	55. The End: Part I

**There is absolutely no excuse for how long I've left you guys waiting. I could just NOT get this chapter correct. Thanks to everyone who's stayed on this story and has waited for me to finish! Here's Part One of the climax, with only a few short chapters left!**

* * *

**The End **

**PART I**

******September 11, 1996  
********10:13 A.M.  
********Medical Ward********  
**

"Breathe, loff!" Viktor then tried to demonstrate with the 'hee-hee-hoo,' breathing.

I groaned through another contraction, breathing deeply and feeling more agitated than comforted by his presence. "I'm breathin', dammit!"

Doc was setting up her Muggle technology all around my hospital bed. Viktor tried to protest against it, saying that many healthy wizard babies had been born without it, but the doctor wouldn't listen to him.

My room was large and white, protected by dozens of wards as my mother, two Marines, and the General set them up. Viktor, my brother, and my sister were the only others in the room.

I squeezed my brother's hand harshly as another contraction moved through my body. "Ooh, you've already...ah...been through this once, haven't you?" I felt bad that I'd missed the birth of my nephew and niece.

"You'll meet the twins soon enough. They're in France with their grandmother right now. Their other grandmother is feeling a bit left out." He told me the last part in a whisper, laughing along with me. At least he was trying to lighten the mood.

My mother wasn't paying attention, instead giving directions to the Marines in the room. "Uh, mom," I said with a groan, "I know we need the protection, but I'd rather not have..._ah-ah!_ Marines in my room!"

She nodded and shooed them out, making them swear to stay at the door at all times. She then motioned for the General to leave as well. He did so with a large frown and a twitching lip, as though he were angry.

Viktor was still doing the 'hee-hee-hoo' noises next to me, which was rather comical. I thought of the first moment I'd met him, how he'd offered me his coat and asked me if I was alright. _I bet you never thought you would end up here, Viktor._ "The great..._ah..._Viktor Krum, doing lamaze. Are you ready to switch a broom for a bottle?"

He stopped the comical breathing and ran one hand over my sweaty hair. "Of course, loff. Anything for you and our child." Viktor's beautiful smile landing on me made everything I was going through so much better. "I never thought...that vhen I first met you, I vould be here." His lips touched my forehead, making tears not of pain well in my eyes.

A breathy laugh came from my lips, along with a smile. "Want to trade places?"

His deep, chocolate eyes softened even further as his cheeks stretched in a smile. Stubble formed around his strong chin, "I vould if it vould take the pain from you, loff."

"Men can't take the pain of a childbirth," the doctor said suddenly, pushing my husband out of the way. "Hence the reason that women carry and birth children. Move. I need room to work and you are all smothering her."

I gripped Viktor's hand in one of mine and my brother's in the other. "Don't either of you _dare move!"_

They laughed nervously and stayed to be my stress relief—too bad for them.

The Doc looked strangely maniacal behind her glasses and frizzy red hair. The crazy laugh she gave off didn't help any either as she braced herself between my raised, spread legs. "Alright, folks, this baby is on its way and it's not stopping!"

**12:32 P.M.**

The cry of a newborn could be heard throughout the medical ward at the Academy. For the first time since it's opening, even its very _first_ opening, a new life was born.

Samantha Rosa Krum was a healthy eight pounds three ounces, just at nineteen inches long. Her murky blue eyes were made darker by the thick mop of black hair upon her head. Obviously, she wouldn't keep her blue eyes, both parents having darker ones.

"Where's my mother?" Leigh Ann asked, her hazel eyes sparking in worry.

Viktor ran a hand over her hair and kissed her forehead, then kissing their child's forehead. The little baby had her little pudgy hand wrapped around his pinky. He couldn't get over how small she was...how she was made of _him_. "She vent to see about a dis...dis..."

"Disturbance?" his fiance, mother of his child, asked. She looked exhausted after two hours of labor, which, according to the doctor, wasn't that long. But she still had an air of victory about her. She still looked as though she could fight thousands more battles and win. "Well, we've got a good amount of protection."

She said this with a lot of sarcasm in her voice, which Viktor was just now figuring out how to understand. He looked behind him and saw two Marines standing at the door, and he knew that the General was standing just outside.

He nodded and leaned his head down on her chest, right above his daughter's head. Leigh Ann put her head upon his, clasping their hands together. "You are an amazing voman," he told her softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

She sighed and gave the top of his head a kiss. "And you are a wonderful man, Viktor. I'm just...worried."

"About what?"

She was silent for a moment, going through what to say before she said it, no doubt. Typical Leigh Ann. "When I went to the Capitol..."

Viktor picked his head up at this, staring at his soon-to-be wife. She was looking at him with a seriousness he hadn't seen leave her eyes in a long time. _The fact that she is telling me this now... _"Yes?"

"I found the prophecy. _My_ prophecy. You...you're going to be taken."

He didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel scared or upset that his wife didn't believe in him. "That's vhat you vere doing in Vashington?"

"That's not the point," she sighed, bringing Samantha up to her shoulder. The babe curled into her mother's neck, one small hand against her bow-lipped mouth. "The prophecy told me that I would lose someone...someone soon. Someone close to me, that would hurt me."

He grasped his fiance's hand and stayed silent for a moment, staring at the small hands of their daughter, at her dainty feet, at the wrinkled skin around her neck. She was wearing a Bulgarian Quidditch uniform for newborns, a golden snitch stitched onto both booties. "I von't leave either of you," he said finally, softly as to not wake the babe.

"And if I make you leave with our daughter?" she asked just as softly. He looked up to see her hazel eyes filled to the brim but not spilling as she stared at him, eyes never leaving his face.

One pinky being held by his daughter, he used the other to grasp his future wife's. He stared Leigh Ann dead on and tried to put as much truth into his eyes as he could. "Leahn. I vill _not _leave you."

"I want you to go. Not to Blugaria, not anywhere in America. Maybe seek shelter in Hogwarts or Beauxbatons...anywhere they can't find you."

He just stared at her as if she were growing to heads. The stubborn woman just didn't quite understand, because when he said that he would protect her with his life, he meant it. Just as he would protect his daughter, just as he would uphold his marriage vows until the day he died. "_No_."

She finally looked away from him, clenching her jaw. "You're going, and that's final. I can't take it if you're hurt, I just...what was that?"

A loud commotion was happening outside the room, somewhere down the hall. The baby squirmed in Leigh Ann's grasp, starting to fuss, as the Marines at the door turned around and pointed their wands at the door. On each hip were two pistols per soldier.

Viktor kissed his loves on their heads and stood up, taking his wand out of the holster on his hip. He knew that the guards at the door would guard his girls with their lives. "I vill be back."

Anna tried to stand up behind him, but he put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look that meant business. "Let me help, Viktor!"

"You've just had a baby!" he laughed. He started to put a powerful protection charm around his women. "Stay, loff. I vill not let them harm you."

The joke she let off next did nothing to hide the fear in her molten eyes as she clutched their child to her breast, trying to calm its fussing. "Maybe there's a troll in the dungeon."

He finished off the protection ward and gave one last glance at her. "Ve half a dungeon?"

"Nevermind."

**Leah Sampson  
****1:23 P.M.  
****Mess Hall**

"_MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!_"

Gunshots and curses were flying through the destroyed Mess Hall. Tables were flipped over to create barricades and smoke created a layer of disruption in the air. Shouts of the wounded and dying coated the ears of the fighters on either side.

Leah dipped behind a steel picnic table that was on its side and wiped the sweat and blood off her face as she reloaded her Colt M4 Carbine. It was easier to use in close quarters combat than her M16 and it packed a hell of a punch, being lighter than its cousin and shorter to boot.

She was mentally trying to count the bodies lost in her head when she heard a familiar voice crying out in pain from the other side. _Jessica Nelson!_

The professor tried to find the girl by peeking her head up and over the table, only to have it almost shot off with a curse and then a bullet less than a millisecond later. Cursing, she bent back down and moved over, trying to confuse the shooters. It didn't last long, but, she got a glimpse of the girl's blonde hair from where she was kneeling—the girl was on the other side of the room, up on the teacher's podium, where the Klan members were mostly positioned.

_Shit, girl. You couldn't have even been in no-man's-land..you had to be in enemy territory. _But the girl was one of her students, and an innocent, to boot. As a teacher and wizard, it was her duty to try and save the girl and take out as many of the bad guys as possible.

She knew she was getting old, but after throwing a smoke bomb and jumping over the table to run through it, she didn't really realize how much so until she missed a step and a curse caught her in the leg. Searing pain ran up her thigh, but she moved on, the adrenaline keeping her from most of the agony.

One hooded member got the butt of her gun in the back of his head. Another got three rounds to his chest, and yet another was stabbed with the bayonet she had on top. In her other hand, she held her wand, which took out three more Klan members. All she was left with in her sector was the one holding Jessica Nelson.

_No...it can't be!_

Jessica was passed out in this man's arms, blood covering the snowy white cape that she should never have even worn. It had fallen from her face, revealing her school uniform...as she wasn't the first one to turn on those she loved. How long had she been with the Klan? No one would ever know. She'd no doubt held her own sister hostage...and that wasn't the most surprising thing.

Ice blue eyes stared back at Leah, barely covered by a white cloak that had fallen from his face. Hair almost as white as the capes, peppered with black, peeked from underneath the hood. His strong, tan hands were gripping the front of Nelson's cape, his wand dangerously pointed at her throat.

"Don't do this, General...or should I call you Dragon, now?"

General George Harrington, Headmaster of the American Academy of Magic, was standing over his own student, ready to kill her. He'd most likely already killed hundreds of the pupils he'd sworn to protect with his own life. The Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan was a man she'd even entrusted with her _own _life.

The older man threw down the girl in his hands and stood tall, taller than she'd ever seen him stand. He was easily two heads taller than her, with more than a hundred pounds on her. He was a stronger wizard and had a deadly gun hanging off his right hip, his wand already in his hands.

But there was a crazy look in his eye. He was extremely demented and she wasn't sure how she hadn't seen it before. _There have been signs...idiot! _Memories came flooding back, even from before, when she was in school and he was just a professor. _"Could you pull that man from that burning building? Or the tank? Or the Fiendfyre? Could you, Sampson?"_

Could she take on this man, now? Was she wrong to have joined this organization, to want to help others, to protect without fear? _Why are all of these feelings coming back now? I am meant to help others. I am meant to teach men and women how to protect themselves, to learn, to be strong and independent. I am strong and independent. _

"How long?" she finally asked, both gun and wand pointed at the traitor in front of her. Cries of pain and gunshots and curses still rang out behind her, but the smoke was keeping the owners from her view, and her from theirs.

The man laughed and stepped on Jessica Nelson, cracks ringing out from her rib cage as she yelled and cried more. He stepped over her and came towards Leah. "Why, the entire time, Leah. Ever since you joined this school. At first, I disliked you. I really did. I was unsure of a woman entering this school and I did everything to dissuade you from finishing. But you did."

She held her chin up high and tried to hold both hands steady. _Don't let him see your fear. Don't let him see you weak. _"I earned my position."

"Yes, you did," he said, suddenly frowning. A fire started to grow in his eyes. "But then, you allowed an avalanche of filth in our halls. Filth! Mudbloods, Half-breeds, and multiple races and religions. And now, even you are filth. _Blood traitor!_"

As he spat that, he also sent a curse her way. She dodged, landing on her bad leg and falling to the ground over Jessica's whimpering body. _"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,"_ the girl was whispering, breathing heavily. Blood covered her entire torso, most of it hers, from a wound to her stomach by two gunshot wounds.

Leah wasn't sure how this girl could have gotten mixed up in all of the madness, but it could have been anything. Most likely, she had been forced or pressured into it. She couldn't believe that the girl had done it of her own free will.

"I am only doing my duty," Leah lied, trying to buy herself some time before backup came. She could hear her soldiers gaining ground, whether from more troops or because they noticed she was gone and were fighting to avenge her. Either way, she didn't mind. "I'm protecting these plebes with my life, as I swore when I took my position."

He laughed maniacally, chilling Leah to her core. "And I'm doing mine, which I swore long before every becoming employed here. I'm ridding the world of wizarding filth." He stared into Leah's green eyes for a moment, a slightly sad look coming over him. Goodbye, Leah. You were one of my hopefuls...but, I guess... Oh, well. _Ava—"_

Suddenly two forms jumped at the man. One covered Leah and Jessica with her body. The other literally pounced on the General. The curse was never cast, and she and Jessica were saved.

Rene Nelson was crouched over her daughter, agony, anger, and hundreds of other emotions flittering through her solider eyes. She then scooped her daughter up and looked Leah in the eyes. "I'm taking her to the Medical Ward. I'll be back to help...but she's my first priority."

Leah nodded, clutching her leg, and looked past the running form of Rene to see Viktor Krum wrestling with George Harrington on the ground. Fire was starting to spread around them, literal fire, and both were reaching for wands.

She raised her wand, only to notice that she couldn't shoot unless she wanted to hit Viktor on accident, as well. So instead, she made her way over to where they were wrestling and grabbed the General's gun, giving him one less weapon.

"Go!" Viktor yelled, holding the General down in a headlock. Leah looked at him with trepidation, not wanting to leave. "Go!" he yelled again, determination in his face. "I vill hold him!"

Leah grudgingly left the two and went back to the scuffle. Most of the room had been taken by her soldiers, but many had been left dead or dying. She moved to help a wounded girl on the ground, but her leg gave out from under her. When she looked at it, it was charred up to her hip, black and flaky, like burned wood. Blood and puss was oozing from the spot where the curse had landed.

The last thing she remembered was someone yelling, "_CRUCIO!_"

A man was screaming, mixed in with the sound of her own cries of pain.


	56. The End: Part II

**I now have all of the chapters finished (only two left, yikes,) besides cleanup, and they will all be posted within a week of each other! Thanks again for staying with me and being the best readers I could ever ask for!**

* * *

**The End**

**PART II**

**Rene Nelson  
****September 11, 1996  
****5:27 P.M.  
****The American Academy of Magic**

Rene ran through the hallways, her middle daughter bleeding out in her arms. Jessica was still conscious, somehow, but her eyelids were fluttering and she was pale and cold. "Don't die on me, baby girl!"

"_I'm so sorry, mommy..._" Jessica breathed, cries of pain and sadness coming from those breaths. Tears started streaming down her face as she leaned her head against her mother's shoulder.

She couldn't tell her daughter that it was okay, because it wasn't. What she'd done was wrong. Everything—lying, torturing, killing, maiming, pillaging, destroying...it deserved no forgiveness, only rehab and lockup for a very, very long time. She was sick in the mind, and that took time to heal.

But Jessica was dying. Even as Rene set her daughter on the medical table and brushed her hair way from her face, she knew it from the light dying in her eyes. She was pushed away by Dr. Swells, though, and she couldn't help her little girl anymore.

She could still help her eldest daughter, though, and she ran out of the surgery room, filled with too many injured soldiers, to make her way down to the makeshift birthing room that'd been set up for Leigh Ann. Only, when she got down the hall, she saw dead bodies and lots and lots of blood.

_My baby! _Panicking, she pulled out her pistol and wand and crept up the wall towards the door. The bodies at the door were all KKK, but one hand lying in the doorway belonged to a Marine.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she braced herself to peek into the room, expecting the worst. Her heart leaped into her throat when a gunshot grazed the wood next to her head. "Shit!"

"Mom?" came a scared gasp from inside.

_Leigh Ann._ Rene breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "It's me, babygirl!" She turned and went in, slowly, as not to scare Leigh Ann, and saw the other Marine on her guard duty dead near the turned-sideways hospital bed that Anna was using as a shield. While her daughter was terrified and tired, she still managed to get a laugh out of her mother when Rene saw that her daughter was wearing only an ammo belt, a Marine's helmet, and her hospital gown.

When she saw that it was safe, Anna stood up slowly from behind her shield and hugged her mother. She wouldn't cry, but she shook as she placed her head in her mother's neck. Sore and emotional, the girl couldn't have gone through more in the short amount of time after giving birth.

Rene didn't ask about her granddaughter. It was a silent understanding that, when the going got tough, Jason would take Samantha to a safe, undisclosed location until he heard through news outlets or local media providers that all was safe. But Leigh Ann was missing her baby and was frightened all the same.

"Viktor," the girl said as a statement, not as a question.

Rene had been in such a hurry trying to defend Jessica and Leah Sampson, she'd almost completely forgotten about her future son-in-law. Thinking, she remembered him last fighting the General...or, she should say, the Grand Dragon. Which Leigh Ann didn't know about yet.

Explaining that to her daughter took two tries, because it didn't register the first time. When it finally did, Leigh Ann's face turned to pure horror. She kept saying that, no, it was wrong, that couldn't be right. Because, if it were, he had killed her favorite teacher, her best friend, and so many more people she cared about. People that other people had cared about.

He'd _tortured _her_._

Rene didn't even have the heart to tell Leigh Ann about Jessica yet. That would be a discussion for another time, when she wasn't suffering from postpartum depression or anxiety in general from all that had happened in the last twelve hours.

"Take me to him," she said then, grasping her mother's shoulders.

"Leigh Ann, you aren't fit for duty." Rene knew that the only thing that would get through to her daughter at that point was orders. Orders would keep her emotionless and tactical—elsewise, she'd go in, guns ablaze, and get herself and others killed. "Stand down."

"No." The word surprised Rene so much that she almost let her daughter walk right past her. Fortunately, the girl was slow enough from the pains of pregnancy that Rene could easily turn and grab her arm before she could make it out the door. Leigh's eyes were full of a passion that Rene had never seen before. "Let me go! He's risked his life for mine, I'm not going to let him die!"

She almost didn't let go, but then thought of a better way for her daughter to be safe. "If you're going to go in, at least know your enemy and surroundings." Leigh had to concede to that. "There are at least thirty Members left, including Harrington. We have maybe fifty soldiers left."

Leigh blanched. "That few?"

Rene nodded and started taking a bullet-proof vest off of one of the Marines at her feet. "We have the west side of the Mess Hall taken over. The tables are being used as shields. Viktor was last seen on the teacher's podium, so, with the shields, you should have a straight cover until no-man's-land." She gave the armor she'd taken from the man to her daughter, who was slipping it on, as well as the pants he was wearing.

Leigh tightened them with a belt and lastly slipped on too-large shoes that would have to do. She nodded solemnly at her mother. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Rene said as she primed her pistol and shot a small spell out with her wand. "We've still got a Dragon to kill."

**Leigh Ann Nelson  
****6:13 P.M.  
****Mess Hall**

The room was a disaster—bodies, everywhere. Ash from explosions and bombs, bodies, curses destroying the very foundation of the walls and floor, blood, wounded from both sides littering no-man's-land, blood, death, dying, wounded, dead.

The smell of the battle almost made me gag, but I swallowed it and clenched my gun tighter as I battle crawled to the first turned table. My body ached in ways I'd never expected it to, with stitches pulling in my nether-regions from birthing less than six hours before, my legs feeling weak, and my whole body just exhausted.

But I pushed on.

There were dying, hurting people in that room who were in more pain that I would ever be. I had to be strong for them. I had to kill the Dragon and end this war before everyone I loved died, like in the prophecy.

My baby was the baby that people hoped for, when none was left. I was the girl born under the seventh moon who would rise to defeat this evil, even if it killed me. I would let no more of my family or friends wait at heaven's door when all that bastard wanted was me.

I army crawled across the barricade that my mother had promised would be there. She was on the east side of the entrance, fighting off the Members up close. I prayed for her to stay safe and soldiered on, ignoring the cries of the hurt and injured until I reached my destination.

No-man's-land was a place full of dead bodies, smoke, bombs, curses, traps waiting to be tripped, and even more bodies. It was the completely open area between the fighting on both sides and the northern wall, which was where I finally saw Harrington and Viktor.

My heart tore in two as I saw Harrington torturing Viktor with the Crucio curse, much like he had me oh so long ago. Tears fell down my eyes before I found myself running toward the man, gun held with both hands, and letting out volleys of bullets directly at his body.

One hit his shoulder.

Another, his leg.

He finally turned to look at me when the last one pierced him straight through the stomach. His eyes widened in maniacal anger as he turned his wand on me, lips starting to for the curse that would kill me in one instant.

My gun shot the wand out of his hand. I raced further, pouncing on him, hitting him over the head with the butt of my gun multiple times until he blacked out underneath me.

Then, my bloodlust sated and I turned to see Viktor, lying, unmoving, on the ground. I could hear someone screaming in the background as I scrambled over to him, noticing the gunshots in his stomach, his legs, his arms... Blood pooled underneath him like a lake of death. The ash marks from the curses marred his hands and face. His body was still shaking from the shock of the last Crucio curse.

I realized later that it was me screaming as I held his head in my lap. The battle dissolved around us, the last of the Members being killed or throwing down their wands to keep from it. The dying were being found and taken to the Medical Ward, which included Viktor. I wouldn't let go of him, chanting my healing magic over him as much as I could. I wasn't an expert. I wasn't Dr. Swells or Doc.

They tried to take me, too. I didn't realize that they were on our side and I fought to get away from them. Every face looked like it was hooded with a white robe or covered in puppet makeup, like from the Halloween show. I clawed and punched, unable to shoot or cast spells as they had taken everything from me.

Looking behind me as I was pulled away by three adults, I expected to see General Harrington standing at the headmaster's podium, a look of devilish glee on his grotesque face, but I saw nothing.

The sunset coming through the broken glass shone in the pile of blood where he should have been lying.

**October 2, 1996  
****11:34 P.M.  
****Safehouse**

I felt the first few tears fall down my face as I watched my husband standing over his daughter's manger. He was staring down on her in wonder, not touching her, just standing there with his hand on the wooden edge.

He was gorgeous. Even with bandages covering his entire right arm and shoulder, his left leg, and his waist, he was still the most beautiful man I had ever seen. My heart swelled with love and pride. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me...and I didn't know how I would be able to do this. I'd lost too many people, so far.

Jessica was in the Medical Ward, dying. She'd betrayed all of us and had tortured me. _To end all trust before there's more..._ Taking that news had been even harder than learning that George Harrington, the ex-headmaster of the American Academy of Magic, was the Grand Dragon of the wizarding KKK. Even harder was knowing that he was still out there, hurting more people.

Leah Sampson lost her leg, still lying unconscious next to my sister. No one knew if she would wake up or not.

Jason was only staying with Viktor, Samantha, and I for the night, before he would take our darling daughter away from us and on the run, to keep them both safe. _Death. Poverty. Despair. Hope in a babe with none left to spare._

I'd already lost my favorite teacher and best friend to the madness.

Who would be next? My father was luckily overseas, away from all of the madness.

"I loff you," he said softly, kneeling next to his daughter's manger with a lot of effort. She was sound asleep, so she probably couldn't hear it. But it was the point. "I loff you so, so much...I vill _never_ let anything happen to you, for as long as I am able. You and your mother...you are the only two things in my life that I care about. Not even my ovn life. I vould risk _everything_ for you."

He was right. He would risk his own life for mine and for our children. But there was no way that I could live without him. He would no doubt kill himself to save his family, as he almost had in the birthing room. He would be next.

There was only one solution. I lifted my wand hand and watched the tip of it waver as it pointed at him.

_To forget one's love to fight a war..._

One word left my lips.

"_Obliviate_."


	57. The End: Part III

**The End**

**PART III**

Life changed forever, after that final deathblow four months later. There was a final battle at the Academy, with over three hundred student and teacher deaths, and more on the KKK's side. It had been heartbreaking to learn that the leader, the protector, the _headmaster_ of the American Academy of Magic had been behind the death and terrorism of so many.

But he'd died all the same, with a shot to his frozen heart.

No one knew who'd shot the death shot, but, as soon as he died, half of the KKK stopped fighting and turned themselves in. The others either ran and hid or kept fighting, to the death, on the most part.

George Harrington's body was burned, never to defile the earth with his diseased body. No sorcery could bring him back to do more harm as his ashes blew away in the wind with his pyre.

The bodies laid out in the Mess Hall were hard to look at for all. All were covered in American Flags or bloodied white robes. The lines were perfect on either side of the pyre. Friends and families found their dead and took their dog tags, while John and Jane Does were taken to the morgue for identification later.

The body count was all that even Rene Nelson had time for, though her phone kept ringing. Important people wanted important updates. They wanted damage reports and liability wavers and monetary loss reports. But as she stared down at the families who had lost everything, families whose cookouts and birthdays and homecomings she'd been to, she couldn't think about work. She went to them and helped them, and then found others who needed help before she would ever take the "important" people's calls.

Leah Sampson rode to the fields outside the castle's walls until she was on her favorite spot on the pier by the water. She was sitting in a wheelchair, still getting used to her entire right leg not being there. It was just...gone, up to her hip. Sometimes she had phantom pains, remembering the burning, but there was nothing she could do about it. Still, she stared out at the serenity of the water and held the gun in her hands tighter, polishing the steel as she'd learned to do so long ago.

Jason Nelson was sitting in his father's office in Bosnia, watching the man's face as he took in all of the information that his son was telling him. Jonathan Nelson just held his face in his hands and kept asking what he could do to help, but Jason shook his head and explained that it was a "wizard thing." Jonathan didn't care for that and shouted at his son as though he were one of his subordinates. The grown man took it as it was, for he was too tired to care, and said "yes sir" when prompted, taking all of his father's anger with a grain of salt. The man was just scared. After Jonathan's fit, he picked up his phone and called his wife. Jason did the same and meant to go see his wife and children as soon as he left.

Jessica Nelson knew that her life was forfeit after all that she had done. She felt as though no one could ever forgive her for what she'd done, nor did she think that she could forgive herself. When she was sitting in a wheelchair at her hearing, still not fully healed, she pleaded guilty, for she knew that she was and so did everyone else in the room.

"Jessica Nelson, you are hereby charged with treason. You will spend the next sixty years in Guantanamo Bay, and, on good behavior, may be set for bail in fifty. Case dismissed."

Leigh Ann Nelson held her daughter to her chest, finally safe, and watched as her younger sister was taken away. The girl was completely defeated as she was rolled out of the room, followed by many more traitors to the States who went to the same place that she did. Most of them weren't even being controlled with an Unforgivable Curse, and even those who gave other names were not allowed freedom. They would be in the most unforgiving place in the world; it was filled with dementors and enough wizard military police to give an invading force (or escaping force) need to rethink their actions.

Samantha Kr—_Nelson—_was sleeping soundly against her mother's chest, unknowing of the father she would never meet. He was happy, somewhere, without all of the assassination attempts on Leigh Ann's life for years after the end of the war. He was happier without being used as leverage against her mother, and without all of the pains that had come with nightmares and panic attacks for many years after. Taking the curse off would have taken years—it had destroyed the memories of everyone except for Leigh Ann, and no one would understand.

It was easier this way.

Leigh Ann looked at her daughter, with her brown eyes, her black hair, and her tan skin, and knew that she could never have given her up. Samantha was her only reminder of him, along with a diary that should have been burned years ago. But, as the girl got older, Leigh Ann only wanted to hold onto her daughter, that diary, and a shirt that had been slept in years and years ago. It had lost its smell, but not its memories.

And memories were all she had.


	58. Epilogue

**It's been a blast, ya'll!**

* * *

**Epilogue**

**June 19, 2010  
****2:22 P.M.  
****Easton****, Nevada  
****World Cup Golden Pitch**

She was sitting alone in the stands, her eyes darting back and forth. He didn't think that he'd ever seen someone with such concentration, unless it was himself. She was perhaps fourteen or fifteen, tall but very thin and lithe, the build of a Seeker. Her dark, almost black hair was long and thick around her shoulder blades. From where he was standing, her eyes were very dark, just like her skin tone.

"Who ees that?" Viktor Krum asked his manager, never taking his eyes off of the girl or his very own snitch of which she was concentrating on.

His manager, a tall, thin, blonde American woman, looked at the girl as if she were a piece of gum under her shoe. "Someone who needs to get off this field so that you can practice for your last match." She handed him her clipboard. "Here, take my things. I'll go talk to her."

"No," he said quickly, tucking the board underneath his arm, "I vill." He didn't know why, but the girl looked very familiar. So familiar, in fact, that it hurt him not being able to remember who she was. As he got closer he noticed that her face was a long oval, with a stubborn chin and almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones. Her eyelashes were long enough to create a gale-fore wind.

Suddenly the girl got up, got onto her broom, and sped away faster than he'd ever seen a broom go. She tried to snatch the snitch from the air, but it evaded her and came straight for him. He held up his hand and it flew right into his grasp.

He wasn't surprised when the girl landed next to him, her dark brown eyes full of curiosity. "Hey, Mister, that your old snitch?" she asked, throwing the broom over one shoulder, like she had been born on it. Her voice was strange, like the American southerners. _"Hay, Mista,"_ is what it had sounded like, so it took him a moment to understand what she was saying.

_I have been out of America for too long. _"Yes," he said, feeling his brow scrunch in confusion. _Her face...it is so familiar!_ "It is very old."

She smiled, showing perfectly straight white teeth. "Yeah, thought so. I've been watchin' it all mornin'. It's the old version, right?" He nodded. Now there was a new version of the Snitch, one that flew faster and harder and didn't lose its wings when handled for too long. His was barely holding on. "Its mechanisms are a little off. Let me guess, it's...1994 Series?"

He had to smile back at her bright and cheery attitude, and at her guess on when he'd gotten the snitch. "Yes, you are correct. It ees from the 1994 Vorld Cup."

She looked at him a little harder, trying to determine who he was or if she knew him from somewhere. "You're Viktor Krum!" she said a moment later, hitting herself over the head. "Duh! Sorry, it's nice to meet you, sir." She held out her hand and he shook it, surprised to feel that she had a strong handshake.

"You are Seeker?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow when she blushed.

"Yes. Could you tell?"

Viktor had to smirk at that. "Of course I could tell. A Seeker has specific build, specific look, good eye. You half these."

She smiled proudly, and his heart suddenly pulled and he felt like he wanted to cry. Yet he had no idea who this girl was! "Sorry, I guess I should introduce myself," she said, probably noticing his confused look and wanting him to stop staring at her. "My name's Samantha Nelson, but you can call me Sam."

"Neelsoon, as in—"

Sam sighed and held up her hand, stopping him. "Yeah, my mother is Head Auror. And Captain of the American Quidditch Team. No need to rub it in. I'm under her shadow enough as it is."

"No," he said quickly, pushing down her defensive hands. "I knoo your moother."

"Who doesn't?" she asked, suddenly taking interest in her broom. It was a Reynolds—one of the newest of the lines that Leigh Ann Nelson had invented. Besides being one of the best Aurors in the world, she also owned three Broom lines: Rocket, Nelson, and now Reynolds. Viktor hadn't seen her since the Triwizard Tournament, when they'd promised to get together. He realized now that they never had.

"Ve vere both een the Trivisard Toornament," he said to her, feeling himself smile. _I wonder if we could catch up?_ "I half not seen her een that loong."

Sam stopped for a moment, thinking that over. Her dark eyes looked familiar as she scrunched them, and her nose had a light dusting of freckles over it which scrunched up too, even though her skin was very dark. Suddenly her eyes brightened. "Hey...take a walk with me. I mean, if that's alright with you."

_Strange...Leigh Ann and I took a walk when we first met. Like mother like daughter?_ "Of course." She moved out of the way, letting him walk, and they started to circle the familiar pitch. It was time for the 2010 Quidditch World Cup, held in America, Bulgaria versus America. And it was his last Quidditch match ever.

"Listen...I know that this is gonna sound weird, but I think my mom kind of...I don't know, knows you better than that?" She bit her lip, looking off into the rising sun that was rising above the golden stadium in Nevada. "I don't know how to say it. Maybe I should ask...have you ever had your memory erased?"

Another pang went through his chest, and he looked closer into her eyes. He saw the curve of the eyelid that his grandmother had, and the silky coloring of hair of his mother. The strong bone of his father in the jaw, and then Leigh Ann's touch in many places.

His heart hurt so much that he couldn't even think.

"Mr. Krum?" the girl asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "Mr. Krum, I'm sorry, it was just a question."

Viktor shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I am fine. Please, continue."

She looked at him for a moment longer, as if he would fall over dead any moment, when she turned back and continued walking. He slowly followed. "All my life, my Mom's never told me about a lot of things. Kind of like she's been keeping something from me. She tells me my dad's some Muggle who died in the Iraq war, but I just don't believe it. And she's never let me keep a Pensive in the house. Well last month, I found one."

She took a deep breath. It looked like this was hard for her to do, and her brow was still scrunched up.

"I took my memory out from when I was a baby. Did you know that you can look into that? Did you know that even in the womb, a person has memories? I guess that proves that the abortionists are crazy, and—" Suddenly she blushed and looked away, biting her lower lip. "Sorry. I get off subject a lot. Anyways, I went back to the first few days of my life. I wanted to know who my father was. And...I saw a memory...it was of you and my mom."

_It is not possible. _"You are how old?" he asked her, trying to figure out where he'd seen her before, or why her entire story was cutting a hole deep inside of him. His head hurt, his body ached, and it felt as if he would throw up.

"I'm fourteen, come September."

He felt his heart speeding up as his brain tried to remember something that had been forgotten. "I half not seen your moother seence sixteen years agoo. So I do not knoo vhat you are toolking about."

"But you do," she said, making a turnabout to turn and look him in the eyes. She was to his chin in height, and her eyes had to have been the exact replica of his. "You _do _know. I can see it in your eyes! There's something you both're keeping from me!"

"I can not keep soomething from you if I do not half the memory of it."

"You don't have the memory because my mother used a spell. She used _obliviate_ and erased your memory! Now I don't know why, but—"

Viktor put his hand over her mouth and stopped her from talking anymore. He knew that someone who had had their memories wiped had a hard time whenever someone broached the subject. Pain, memory lapse, even unconsciousness were all side effects. This girl...she was doing much, _much_ more than broaching the subject. "_Stop_."

"But sir, I think that you're my—"

"Samantha Rosa Nelson, where have you _been_?" came a voice suddenly, and both of them turned their eyes to the sky. A woman on a broom was silhouetted by the rising sun, making them both shield their eyes. "I've been worried sick!"

"Mom?" the girl asked, her eyes wide. "_Shit_. I-I've got to go," she said quickly to Viktor, hopping onto her broomstick.

"You're gonna get your mouth washed out with soap if you keep that language up," the woman said as she landed next to her daughter, catching the back of Sam's collar before the girl ran off. "You're not goin' anywhere, girl."

Viktor looked at the woman with a sick feeling in his stomach. She was tall, maybe five foot nine or ten, with delicate arms and shoulders. He remembered the old Leigh Ann to be on the curvy side, but the woman in front of him was now fit and trim. Her short brown hair was curly and wisped around her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were the color of cinnamon, her cheekbones high upon her face. There were few resemblances between her and her daughter, whom she was chastising at the moment.

"_Leahn_," he whispered, his heart being stabbed in his chest.

She suddenly froze in her spot, no longer chastising her daughter. She didn't look at him. She let her daughter go. "Samantha...go help sort the tickets."

"But _Momma—_"

"_Now, _Samantha."

The girl took one heated look at her mother before throwing one leg over her _Reynolds_, giving a last pleading look at Viktor, before speeding off with quite a bit of skill.

Leigh Ann Nelson then turned towards him, her dark cinnamon eyes filled with fear, anger, and hesitation. And then there was something else, something that Viktor couldn't figure out. He felt as if he wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms. He wanted to kiss her, to hold her, to tell her that everything would be alright.

"Viktor Krum," she said off-handedly, holding out her hand. In the moment that he'd let his feelings get away from him, she'd covered her face in an emotionless mask. He shook it numbly. "Good to see you again."

"And...and you," he said back, wondering at how soft her hands were, but how callused the fingertips were. He felt as if he had known this woman intimately, but his mind wouldn't let him stay on the subject. It felt as if the memory was on the edge of his brain, but every time he got closer to it, it would fade. "I half not seen you for years."

"Since the Triwizard Tournament, yeah." She took a deep breath and blinked her eyes a couple of times as she released his hand. "Are you ready to lose?"

He smirked at her, remembering that he had gotten out of the Triwizard Tournament with less injuries than her. "No. My team vill vin my last game."

Her eyebrows rose to the top of her forehead. "Your _last game? _Viktor Krum is having his last game?"

"Yes. I take it you still half a few more years left?" She nodded solemnly, looking off into the distance. For a moment there was a tense silence between them, until he spoke up again. "Your daughter, she ees beautiful."

Leigh Ann bit her lip, nodding slowly. "Thank you."

"Her father?"

It took a moment for her to answer, but finally she looked him dead in the eye and said, "Dead."

"I am sorry."

"It's over now," she said abruptly, turning her eyes from his, looking out to where her daughter was arguing with a short, pudgy man with flame red hair. If Viktor hadn't known better, the man was a Weasley, like Ron, who was a Keeper for the Chudley Cannons. But he wasn't. He must have been the sales manager. "I guess I should go help ou—_my_ daughter." Leigh Ann looked flustered but loving as she watched her daughter.

Viktor grabbed her arm before she could leave. When she looked up at him, he saw vulnerability in her beautiful cinnamon eyes. "Leahn..."

"Viktor, now is not the time," she whispered, her face suddenly becoming paler. "I-I can't do this."

"Do vhat? I just vant to talk," he said simply, trying to figure out why she was nervous all of a sudden. He stepped forward until his body was pressed up against hers, trying to figure out why he felt the need to be close to her. He wanted to make her blush, to make her smile. "Do I make you..._nervous_?"

Obviously very flustered, Leigh Ann pulled out of his grasp and took a step backwards. "Of course not. I'm a fully-grown woman, Mr. Krum...even a handsome man such as yourself isn't going to unnerve me."

"Are you alright?" he then asked, noticing the pained look on her face. She then gasped and gritted her teeth, closing her eyes so that she couldn't look at him. "Leahn?"

"Just...don't! How long have you known?"

Viktor was sure that what she was referring to was what her daughter had been speaking of earlier. He took a deep breath, swallowed, and watched said daughter fly around a good distance behind her mother. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Samantha had been talking about...but he at least deserved to know if he'd had his memory erased. "A little vhile."

Leigh Ann turned her back on him and closed in on herself. Her shoulders shook in the beginning of a sob. Viktor had no clue why. "Why didn't you come to me? Wait. Don't answer that. I know why. You were so disgusted with me for erasing your memory, you just..."

"I _knew_ it."

"Sam!"

Samantha hopped down off of her broomstick and stood between Viktor and her mother. An accusing finger was pointed and a fury appeared on Sam's face. "You erased his memory, you _hid_ him from me!"

Leigh Ann turned on her daughter with tears falling from her eyes. Her hands were fisted at her sides and she was visibly shaking. "Samantha Rosa Nelson, this is none of your business!"

"It _is _my business! _He's_ my _father_!"

The static that filled the air was palpable. Leigh Ann fell to her knees and cried silently. Samantha turned her watery eyes up to Viktor, who broke at the sight of his own eyes staring back at him. He had no idea what these feelings inside of him were, no idea why he felt the need to bring this child in his arms, but it felt..._right_.

He softly hummed a song to her as she cried against his shoulder. "I'm sorry...to half left you. Had I known..."

"You didn't, though," Leigh Ann said softly from where she was kneeling. "We were in trouble, Viktor. We were in trouble and danger and I couldn't lose you. So I made you forget me."

Sam looked up from Viktor's shoulder with fire in her—his—eyes. "Us! You made him forget me, too!"

Viktor hushed his...his _daughter_...again and slowly let go of her. He then bent down next to Leigh Ann and put one hand against the side of her face. Her cinnamon eyes looked up at him, filled with tears, and didn't look away. "I must half loffed you, once, to half made child vith you."

She put her small, soft hands on top of his and nodded. "I loved you so, so much. That's why I gave you up."

He stared into those eyes that he felt he could stare into for eternity and knelt there for a moment. "Is...is it over?"

Leigh Ann nodded and threw herself into his arms. "I should have found you after it was over, but you were so happy and oblivious, and I was so _broken..._"

It felt so right to have her against him, to hold her as she cried. He stroked her back and her hair and her face, raining little kisses all over. Little bits of her came back into his memory-their first hug, date, kiss...slowly, it returned to him. Not all of it, which would take much longer to recover. But something was fixing itself inside of him.

_So much emotion... Is this what I've been missing in life? A wife_? He looked at the beautiful woman in front of him and gently gave her a kiss on the forehead. _A child?_ Samantha stood behind them, a perfect mixture of him and Leigh Ann, looking scared and hopeful at the same time. "I...I could learn to loff you again, I think," he said as he turned back to Leigh Ann, hands on either side of her face.

The shocked look on her face told him absolutely nothing about what she was feeling.

"Are you going to be alvight, loff?"

She just laughed and kissed him.


End file.
